Alternate Universe Trilogy Vol 1 The Clone Emperor
by Sonic Sculpture
Summary: This is an alternative to the derivative works licensed by Lucasfilm that were intended to follow Return of the Jedi. I don't think things turned out quite so neatly. The story has been rewritten to redress issues cited in prior reviews.
1. Chapters 1 and 2

For your entertainment, I am presenting this option to the licensed versions of what supposedly transpired after the death of Darth Sidious. In my defense I would argue that although Lucasfilm licensed no small number of derivative works, none of those plots were apparently compelling enough to be made into movies. And I don't think things would've turned out as neatly as other writers have suggested, so here is my personal spin on how what might've happened instead. I hope you enjoy this posting if you find the time to read it, and may the Force be with you all!

**Star Wars**

**Episode Seven: ****The Clone Emperor**

**Volume One of the ALTERNATE UNIVERSE TRILOGY**

**Chapter One: An Unanticipated Outcome**

A nearly starless night had finally fallen upon Endor. Luke Skywalker sat upon a tree stump at the edge of the Ewok village and frowned at the featureless sky. A very slowly dissipating cloud of dust and debris from the recently destroyed Death Star had hidden the heavens. Unbidden, an alien expression passed through his mind: _the shroud of the Dark Side is descending_. It seemed like an overreaction to so easily explainable a thing.

Upon the Alliance's announcement of the Emperor's demise, prolonged celebrations had ensued. Along with the other leaders, Luke had initially been afraid that the remnant of the Imperial Fleet, which was still in orbit above Endor at the time, would simply elect to decimate the forest moon. However they'd been afforded no occasion take advantage of such an opportunity. The rebels had quickly broadcast the news of their victory across subspace, and the cruisers abruptly had more pressing matters to which to attend as the revolution radiated out across the cosmos. It had spread like wildfire throughout the Core systems of the Empire, which necessitated the recall of every single ship in the Imperial Fleet. Their departure deepened the feeling of success, and everybody believed that the long campaign had finally culminated in a victorious conclusion.

But then, the tone of the reports suddenly changed. All those organizations that had once helped to facilitate interstellar commerce had been replaced by the Empire. And as a result, there was no infrastructure to support the transition. The federations, clans, and unions no longer existed. In addition, because membership in the Republic had basically enabled their incorporation into the Empire, there were those who saw that allegiance as now being undesirable. Some of the previous Republic's strongest supporters were now espousing the Separatist philosophy. And with so much suddenly in dispute, there were those who were so afraid of losing territories or business holdings that they were actually acting preemptively and initiating aggression. And of course there were also opportunists who were hoping to come out ahead in the reshuffling. It was almost like the Clone Wars all over again. The rebels had not really restored the Republic. They had instead opened an occasion for cosmic chaos. Battle fatigue and this extremely troubling realization had finally brought an anticlimactic close to their celebration. Knowing that the real work was only about to begin, everybody else had wearily retired. Jedi Knight Skywalker had been left alone.

At the edge of the dark clearing, Luke now communed with his mentors, Yoda and Obi-Wan, both of whom had transformed into the Force. As he confronted their ethereal appearance, he could see other apparitions around them. Names entered into his mind, Windu and Qui-Gon. Those utterly unknown to him even by name were hardly more than featureless shapes, but Anakin was also with them. Of those assembled, Yoda seemed the most deeply distressed, not a thing for which his previous Padawan was prepared.

"Disturbing this is," rasped the diminutive shape, "and unexpected. No reason was there ever to think the transition would be completely peaceful, so for this cause alone I am not concerned. But not brought into balance has the Force become because of the Emperor's removal. Understand this I cannot."

"Despite my disfigurement, I was the Emperor's junior by two generations," Anakin observed. "So I expected to inherit the Empire, even though I had no perception of him actually grooming me for the position. But he had no other apprentice, I'd have known."

"Misled were you in the matter of understanding the intentions of the Jedi Council," Yoda cautioned him. "Unwise it might be to assume that you knew his ultimate agenda. Near the end of his life he most certainly was; yet, no thought did he take concerning his successor? Something amiss there is in all of this; not yet fulfilled has the prophecy been by all these events."

Luke was preparing to ask about this prophecy, of which he had not previously been aware, when suddenly something happened. It was as if a storm cloud rolled through the very midst of the assembled specters, dismissing them from his sight and replacing them with a lone figure. It somehow seemed familiar, since he had just faced it in an older and disfigured form. But he was far too horrified at first to accept its only possible identity.

"I've been reborn as Darth Chrysalis," the image intoned. "It is not the Jedi who have found the path to immortality. Only I have achieved that, although there is yet a place for you at my side. By now, you must surely understand that you've not rescued democracy. You have only unleashed anarchy. Your assistance could be invaluable in reassembling the shards of my Empire. Embrace alliance with the Dark Side and step into the future."

"I saw my father kill you! And even if you somehow survived the fall, I saw the Death Star explode!" Luke angrily objected. "How are you doing this? Even as Darth Vader, my father did not have the ability to appear to me as you're doing!"

"The Dark Side is a path to many abilities some consider to be unnatural," the Clone Emperor darkly replied. "Does it surprise you that I did not make the mistake of teaching everything I knew to my rebellious apprentice? I knew about his mutinous ambitions from the start. After all, they were only natural. Sith Lords desire dominion, not lives of selfless service like the Jedi. If I had taught him how to exploit his ancestral relationship with you, he could easily have contacted you the way I have. In fact, I think he'd started to explore such a possibility anyway. But I knew he'd seek to use you to overthrow me. So it was in my best interest to limit his interactions with you."

"You thought he might exploit his ancestral relationship to contact me the same way you have?" Luke repeated hollowly. He was noticeably more troubled by this declaration than by anything else the Emperor had said.

"Using the Shroud of the Dark Side, I was able to keep him from even questioning the possibility of a relationship between myself and Padme," the Emperor boasted. "We were both from Naboo, both members of the aristocracy. He never even suspected that she was my niece. This is how I knew about her pregnancy and the identity of the father. Anakin believed it was only because of the power of the Dark Side. I knew that a series of choices on his part could place her life in danger, so I helped him make those choices. His visions were a warning. But the exact actions he took, believing it was the only way to save her, were the ones that guaranteed her loss of the will to live at the critical time. And this left his service to me as his only reason to live, until you came along. I suppose I should thank you for helping me get rid of him, but you were only playing your assigned part. You have been serving me much longer than you know. The opportunity now is for you to actually enjoy the benefits of that service, by making it voluntary. Honestly, you've already taken your first steps down the Dark Path. You know that it will forever dominate your destiny. And you tasted its power in defeating your father. Not even an army of Jedi knights would be able to put the Empire back together again, but the two of us can!"

"But I saw you die," Luke repeated weakly.

"The Kaminoans did more than just create a clone army for me," the Emperor finally admitted. "And the biometric implant, though it remained undamaged, acted almost like a lightning rod during my battle with Master Windu. Since it was installed, it's sent all of my experiences through a subspace relay system to a hidden facility in the Kamino system. When the transmission was interrupted by my predecessor's demise, I was brought out of stasis. I know everything he knew, right up until the moment of his death. And I am far more powerful than he could ever have been. Using his genetic sample, they were able to isolate the midi-chlorians. They learned to replicate them. My count is higher than that of anyone who has ever lived. Of course, I'll never allow the count of your clone to equal mine; but I'm offering you almost unlimited power for nothing less than eternity!"

"You have openly admitted that you deceived your own apprentice!" Luke accusingly replied. "Is that not the greatest lesson I could hope for you to teach me? So, why should I allow you to manipulate me the way you did my father? Why should I expect a different reward than the death of the people I care about? That's how you rewarded him!"

"If you truly value your Jedi precepts, then you must understand how wrong it is for you to hold the lives of your friends above all others," Darth Chrysalis answered. "Is it not true that they're asleep only because they simply could not bear the reports, which were coming in from all over the Empire, of open conflict erupting between previously peaceful systems? People are dying right now, even while we're speaking. And it's almost entirely the result of your actions. There is no piety in refusing to accept responsibility for all the damage you've done. If you will not help me to restore order, all of this blood is on your hands. If however you will aid me in accomplishing that which your conscience should be insisting that you do; one day you will be reborn in an even more powerful form, and with the hand that you lost in your first fight with your father. The way to restore yourself and the security of civilization itself are one and the same. It is time for you to fulfill your destiny!"

"Your Death Star was destroyed; and your fleet, while doubtlessly still substantial, is significantly diminished," argued Luke. "Even with my assistance, how could you hope to restore your control?"

"Have you forgotten that it was I who allowed the Alliance to learn the location of the new battle station?" Darth Chrysalis laughingly inquired. "Do you suppose I would really willingly risk the greatest weapon in my arsenal? I've always known that it would take an ever-increasing amount of control to maintain my Empire. And you must've been aware that many of the outlying systems, which would not directly support your rebellion, were much more interested in simple secession. This sentiment is a remnant of the Separatist Movement, which I initiated and then couldn't entirely annul; however, even the ability to destroy an entire planet cannot thwart the threat of expansive star systems with facilities hidden all throughout. But after decades of research, the technicians on Geonosis have developed a weapon system that can actually destroy a sun. I call it the Star Killer. One example of its abilities against a separatist system at the outskirts of the galaxy, with the fleet in orbit around key planets at the heart of the old Republic, and we could begin to restore order. I understand how appalling would be such a loss of life. But with things the way they are, attrition is currently unchecked. This destructive illustration would actually have the effect of minimizing the eventual total."

"Of whom do you plan to make this terrible example?" Luke asked, with breathless revulsion. "The asteroids of Alderaan are still raining death in the surrounding systems!"

"Even if the selected target is somewhere along the Outer Rim, many worlds will be within the effected radius," Darth Chrysalis replied. "My only condition is that you stay as far away as possible from Kamino and Geonosis. Beyond that, you can select whatever target you think will make the best example. For the purposes of your first assignment, I will give you command of the Star Killer. Once you've completed your mission, you're to return to Coruscant. There, I'll begin your training. You've no ambitions for replacing me; and, because I am now deathless, it would do you no good to eliminate me anyway. This is why your reward will be different from that of your father. I'll give you time to consider what I have said, but bear in mind that innocent people will continue to die until you help me restore the security that you and your friends destroyed. We'll speak again soon."

The frightening figure faded into the horrific fog from which it had emerged. With one hand still on the hilt of his lightsaber, Luke slowly stood. It did not escape his notice that none of the other images, with whom he had previously been in conference, reappeared. It was as if he was now beyond even their aid.

There was much to consider. He knew the servants of the Dark Side used deception as a weapon, but Darth Chrysalis had been very forthcoming about all the lies with which he had manipulated Anakin. Was he now so powerful that he no longer required such an unseemly device? Learning that Darth Vader was actually his father had nearly been the death of young Luke Skywalker. He desperately wanted to dismiss the inference that he and the Emperor were also related, but it explained many things; not least of which was the appalling ability to appear as he had, dismissing Luke's mentors in the process. But he feared that it might even be the means by which his father had first learned of his real identity. When Darth Vader set the trap for him at Cloud City, there was no doubt that he already knew whom he meant to ensnare. No one in the Alliance could have leaked any such information without also giving away much more critical data, making the release of the Imperial probe droids needless. This, then, was how Anakin had learned about Luke.

The Clone Emperor was also unfortunately correct about the unexpected aftermath of the rebel's hard-won victory. The leadership of the Alliance had idealistically assumed that the assassination of the Emperor would essentially restore the Republic. In order to keep safe its supporters, no infrastructure for guaranteeing such a beneficial result could be constructed. Yet now, it looked as if decades, or perhaps centuries, of interstellar war would precede any such possibility. Luke could hardly exonerate himself from culpability in the catastrophe; at least, not without also taking definitive steps towards the resolution of the unacceptable situation. And tragically, he could come up with no alternatives to at least giving the appearance of aiding in the installation of a reengineered version of the very regent whom he had only just dethroned, as repulsed as he was by the possibility.

He had only recently come to understand, at least on an intellectual level, that Leia was his sister. He had been looking forward to instructing her in the ways of the Force. It now looked however like that education was going to have to be accelerated. He had no idea how much time the Clone Emperor would actually afford him before an answer was demanded. And it was true that lives were being lost in the interim. Perhaps, he thought, he could take Leia down the path of the Padawan learner at least far enough for her to discern Luke's own mentors; and then, they could take over her training. He feared that he was going to have to at least feign an affiliation with evil.

The Clone Emperor's summation had alarmingly echoed that of Master Yoda: _once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny_. Luke urgently needed to believe that all such inclinations had reached their resolution in that showdown on the Death Star. However, he found that he was not happy about the possibility of needing to rely on his trophy. His father's lightsaber, hewn away with one of his mechanical hands, had preceded the Emperor's plummet into the guts of the spherical doomsday machine. But when Anakin hefted the grizzled regent up from the deck plate, in order to also hurl him into that exact abyss, the Emperor's lightsaber had somehow been dislodged. Luke had retrieved it, along with his own, as he was assisting his fallen father.

He had intended to keep it only as a prize, continuing to use his own and fashioning another to give to Leia for her training. But now it seemed more expedient to give her the one that he had wielded so victoriously. This, perhaps poetically, would leave him to face the Clone Emperor with the very same sword of which his perilous predecessor had only just been relieved. But it worried Luke that he felt somewhat cheated in being required to surrender his own lightsaber for use by his sister. Possessiveness, as well he knew from his training, was an extremely undesirable characteristic for a Jedi knight, an evidence of dangerous inclinations. Uncovering such covetousness in his own character caused him considerable concern. He worriedly wondered if there was actually an underlying truth in the Clone Emperor's summation about his precarious proclivities. Only the very thinnest of lines lies between prudence and self-doubt, as he also knew, and any misstep on that path could also lead to the Dark Side. Disaster seemed to dog his every emotional step.

It took an unusual amount of time for him to clear his mind so he could communicate with his mentors. The desperation of their circumstances seemed to completely preclude the application of patience. He felt that his choices were being forced upon him, and this reminded him of the impetus that had driven him to his disastrous duel at Cloud City; but there did not appear to be any alternative to immediate action. And yet, Yoda seemed to be trying once again to discourage him from something inexplicably inescapable.

"Behind this outbreak of warfare the Emperor may be," Yoda cautioned him. "Unlike the animosity that led to the Clone Wars this situation is not. Learned we finally did of the Dark Lord's hand in all of that, and too late we were. But responsible therefore is he. Not to be blamed are you. This ploy he may well have set up in advance. The appearance of coming to society's rescue it gives the successor. For you, rushing to face him may be a part of his plan. To do what you must, as the Force allows, is your only responsibility. All the lives now being lost are not your burden to bear."

"But Master Yoda, this clone has only just been brought out of stasis," Luke carefully said. "He will only grow stronger. He's at his weakest right now. He may not yet have full command of his amplified abilities. There will never be a greater opportunity."

"To precisely what opportunity do you refer?" Obi-Wan asked insistently. "I still don't understand what it is that you're planning to do. Do you?"

"It does no good to assassinate him again, not unless the cloning facility has already been eliminated," Luke answered heavily. "He intends to put me in command of the very craft that's capable of such a strategic strike."

"Destroy an entire star system will you?" Yoda demanded. "Understand what they've done even the Kaminoans who aid him may not! Not deserving of death can they all be!"

"Destruction of that system would also stop the supply of Storm Troopers," observed Anakin, unexpectedly speaking out in agreement with his son's scheme. "They were only ever supposed to be the Army of the Republic; defenders of democracy, not enforcers of the Empire. Even if it didn't offer the advantage of eliminating the Chancellor's clone, the Kamino system would still be the most tactical military target. Destroying it might actually save more lives than it would cost to kill its inhabitants."

"It's certain to be heavily defended!" argued Obi-Wan. "And I doubt that the station's compliment is going to be okay with targeting such a critical system. I suppose you must be planning to kill the crew almost as soon as you go aboard, and that might not be such an easy thing. But you'll then have to operate all of its unknown systems alone, including its defensive ones. Because as soon your approach is detected, you're probably going to find yourself up against a squadron of Corellian cruisers! And while the Star Killer might just be a match for such an armada, you'll have to both fly and defend your stolen battle station at the same time!"

"I might know a certain astrodroid that could help me out with that," Luke slyly said. "In fact, R2 might even be able to decompress critical compartments of the battle station and help me to take it over."

"More murder in your scheme you cannot contrive?" Yoda sardonically asked. "Can satisfied you be with the deaths of only the compliment of an untested battle station and the inhabitants of an arguably neutral star system?"

"I'll admit that the plan calls for a lot of killing," Luke patiently replied. "But it's hardly constructive for you to merely criticize my scheme, Master. However, you'll find me quite responsive to your suggestions, if you can by any means imagine an alternative."

"If afforded an opportunity to examine other options, succeed in making suggestions we just might!" Yoda emphatically answered, sounding uncharacteristically angered, "But time for us to appropriately contemplate this matter you've not allowed."

"So then," Obi-Wan sarcastically summarized, "your plan is to exterminate the entire compliment of the Star Killer, destroy the Kamino system, and use your commandeered craft to reach the confrontation on Coruscant? I must say that I am almost surprised you haven't suggested just using it assassinate the Emperor. You could hardly fail to kill this clone if you destroyed the Coruscant system. The outcome would be far less uncertain."

"I won't be in the Star Killer when I make the journey to Coruscant," Luke answered as evenly as he could, not being familiar with the teasing that had commonly been a part of the conversations between Obi-Wan and Anakin. "If I fail to kill the Clone Emperor, it would not be wise to leave him with a doomsday device parked in orbit. After I've used it to destroy the Kamino system, I'll have to scuttle the ship; but if R2 and I can't figure out how to rig it to self-destruct, I'll program it to fly into the nearest star."

"You mean," asked Obi-Wan, pausing for effect, "the nearest star you've not already destroyed?"

"There are a number of uninhabited systems in close proximity to the Rishi Maize," Luke pensively replied. "I could just use one of them, to avoid possible repercussions."

"Repercussions aplenty at this point you have already amassed!" Yoda very heavily observed. "Approve your plan the Council of Transformed Masters cannot. Another way will have to be found."

"There is no other way," Anakin very angrily interjected. "And since my son will need some specialized instruction in order to go up against this engineered enemy, I will make certain he gets it. We accomplished the assassination of the Emperor with no assistance from your so-called Council. And we'll take care of his darker duplicate as well."

"However, there is something I need to ask from all of you," Luke very carefully said, pausing to look at each of the shimmering shapes before him. "Before I leave, I intend to train Leia at least enough for you to take over with her instruction. With no way to create a cloned successor, if I fail to defeat the Emperor, he will most certainly take on another apprentice. Then, the only way to utterly stop the Sith would be if Leia were to become a powerful enough Jedi Knight to assassinate him as soon as he inherits the Empire. Will you undertake her training?"

"If at that pass we finally arrive, to assist in this training you may yet be able," Yoda answered. "But while you are away on your ill-advised errand, do what we may we most certainly will."

"Would I be correct in assuming that she knows nothing at all of what has transpired concerning the Emperor?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes, I was planning to tell her in the morning," Luke tentatively replied.

"Awaken her now you should!" Yoda insisted. "If so limited you believe is the time in which you may train her, then at once should she be made aware of what has happened and the part she may have to play. Rush you do towards the thing that should wait, while postponing the most important. Not commendable is this consistency."

In actuality, Luke was much more afraid of facing his sister's disappointment than of the perilous expedition he was about to undertake. He had not emerged unscathed from the duel on the Death Star, nor had he rested since escaping from its destruction. But he knew Yoda was right. How better to show her that a Jedi's strength flows from the Force than by demonstrating it the face of his own fatigue?

He knew where Lando had landed the _Millennium Falcon_ and, from a conversation earlier that evening, he also knew Han and Leia had retired to the ship. They had invited him to bed-down there as well, but he insisted on sleeping in the A-wing in which he had escaped from the Death Star. He knew the relationship between Han and Leia had been blossoming in his absence, and he wanted to give them as much privacy as he could.

For this reason, he felt as if it would be inappropriate to simply show up on the ship. He opted to use his communicator instead. It seemed likely that one of the droids would respond, but then it would become the recipient's unhappy duty to awaken the princess. He smiled as he considered how Yoda would probably insist that he was still shirking his responsibilities.

C-3PO responded to his transmission. The protocol droid did not seem particularly pleased at having been put in the position of having to summon the sleeping princess. Luke gave assurances of how important it was to do so, while being careful not to give any indication of trouble. It was several minutes before Leia's voice finally greeted him.

"I'm not sure why 3PO didn't just have you come aboard," she tiredly admitted. "Is something wrong?"

It did not surprise Luke when Leia asked the question that C-3PO had not. He knew she had senses that were already beginning to assert themselves. There was a concern evident in her inquiry that exposed misgivings about the manner in which he had chosen to contact her. He could clearly hear its echoes, despite the haggardness of her tone.

"If Han is awake, I'll just come in and talk to you both," he replied, knowing that she would understand how he was affirming her suspicions. "If not, perhaps it would be best if you would come out here. There's no point in disturbing him; at least, not yet."

Since Han and Leia knew the droids would alert them if anybody came aboard, they had elected to leave the ship's ramp in its lowered position. As it worked out, this made it possible for Leia to leave the vessel without waking its captain. She emerged after only a few moments; seeming to somehow sense the correct route to take in order to make her way directly toward Luke in the nearly total, Death-Star-debris-induced darkness.

"What's happened?" she quietly inquired as she finally stood before him.

"The Emperor had himself cloned, and the Death Star was not his ultimate weapon," Luke replied, knowing it would be pointless to try and soften the blow. "I'm going to have to undertake a very risky campaign; and I probably only have a few days at best before I have to leave. But before I go, I need to at least begin your training. There're others who will help you complete it if I should fail, but you first have to reach a point where you can communicate with them. The pathway of the Jedi knight is laid out before your feet. I will take you as my Padawan if you will let me show you the ways of the Force."

"I was already awake when 3PO came to get me. I'd been disturbed from sleep by a dream," she softly answered. She then surprised him by concluding, "If I am supposed to do this, then there's something you're also expected to give me."

Luke reached down and ceremoniously disconnected his lightsaber from the clip by which it hung from his belt. After giving it to Leia, he then replaced it with the one he had recovered from Darth Sidious. In the midst of her awed examination, Leia barely noticed what Luke was doing as he extracted the other lightsaber from his pouch. He looked on, fondly recalling his own fascination, as his sister activated her weapon's bright blade.

"A padawan would normally be required to construct one when the time came. But my first lightsaber was given to me, and there simply isn't time to do things traditionally," he said. After stepping a few paces back from her, he then forcefully said, "As fiercely as you can, attack me with it!"

Leia was not known for backing away from a challenge. There was a brief moment of disbelief written across her incredulous face by the light of her saber's shimmer; and then, without the requirement of any additional encouragement, she attacked. Her initial onslaught was that of the unskilled, and it was easily averted. Luke moved in closer and forced her to be more methodical and less heavy-handed in her attempts. At the timely moment, he somersaulted over her head and attacked her from behind. She instinctively spun and precisely intercepted the blindsided strike. He could see her surprise as Leia recognized what she had done. She looked in awe at the weapon she had so wielded.

Stepping back in order to disengage from the skirmish, and deactivating his recently acquired weapon as he did, Luke said, "The Force is with you, my sister. But the journey of the Padawan comes only with complete commitment. Will you finish what you begin?"

"Is it permissible to begin under one instructor and finish with another?" Leia asked. "I have studied something of the lore of the Jedi Order. I believe it was common to place each Youngling in an apprenticeship under an eligible Jedi Master, to whom they would then be joined until passing the Jedi Trials. Considering that the Order has existed for as long it has, I'm compelled to do this correctly. Can an apprenticeship be transferred?"

"Mine was," Luke readily replied, gratified to see just how meticulous his sister was being about the details of the tutelage. It definitely implied the level of dedication he had hoped to find in her. "Obi-Wan began my training, but Yoda completed it. And once you have progressed to the point where you can commune with them, they are ready to help you finish the transformation into a fully fledged Jedi knight."

"You don't expect to come back, do you?" she intuitively pressed.

"Whether I succeed and am able to return to you in the flesh or not, we shall meet again," Luke assured her. "I will be able to communicate with you from the netherworld of the Force once you have accomplished its alliance. If you wish it, you'll even be able to speak with our father. As I said, he's really the one who killed the Emperor; though it unfortunately didn't altogether eliminate him."

"Then I'm honored at being placed as your Padawan, Jedi Master Skywalker," Leia replied, bowing in the traditional manner of the Order's members.

Luke was caught off guard by his sister's use of such a title. He was thinking about how it had not been his intention to offer her any ulterior motives in mentioning that she would be able to communicate with both him and with their father. No one else had ever ascribed this designation to him before. He was nearly overcome with the emotions that welled up in response. The involuntary reaction was yet one more thing that caused him concern. He had refused to be turned, even with his defeated father helplessly sprawled before him; and yet, he was constantly aware of the way in which the Dark Side pulled at the peripherals of his personality.

Luke spent the remainder of that night instructing Leia in the ways of the Force. She was an extremely quick study. When, after a series of unsuccessful attempts, she finally succeeded in moving something with her mind, he put together a remote and tested her by having her wear a helmet with its blast shield down. After getting stung several times with its low level emissions, her lightsaber became an unavoidable obstacle for the little robot's attacks. While she was thus engaged, Luke spent some time with his mentors.

He remembered how Yoda had objected to training him because of his age. As his twin sister, Leia was now older than Luke had been at the time. He wanted to be certain there were no such concerns. Yoda finally told him of the prophecy, and that he and his sister were both the children of the Chosen One. Nine hundred years of wisdom told the Jedi Master that age was not a concern when it came to the twins; in fact, very little was.

While Luke was having this conversation, dawn broke over Endor. Coming from the _Falcon_ and coming upon the clearing where Leia was training, Han could barely believe what he was seeing. Moving silently, for fear of distracting his blinded lover from her duel with the remote, he was quite startled when she turned briefly toward him and addressed him by name, wishing him a good morning. His reaction was almost predictable.

Cocking his jaw questioningly, he inquired, "You too?"

Surprising both Han and her instructor, who had just completed the meeting with his mentors and was approaching to assign a new exercise, Leia slashed her way through a series of rapid-fire laser blasts as she quickly closed on the remote. Though it should not really have been possible to outmaneuver the robot in such a way, she cleaved it cleanly in half. It emitted an extremely short-lived mechanical scream as its smoldering sections separated before her onslaught.

"Good thing R2 and 3PO weren't here to see that!" Han observed, teasingly scolding her. "But then again, you always have been kind of hard on droids, haven't you?"

Removing the helmet with one hand while deactivating the lightsaber in the other, all in one fluid movement, she impishly asked in reply, "You did bring breakfast, didn't you?"

Showing her his empty hands as he shrugged, Han turned to Luke, asking, "What is going on here? Last night, as her attitude obviously still implies, she was a princess. And now, she is a Jedi knight?"

Suggesting that breakfast was indeed in order, Luke patiently explained the situation to Han as the trio headed for the _Millennium Falcon_. Leia watched in silent concern as a range of extreme emotions played out across the spaceship captain's face. However, he seemed uncharacteristically at a loss for words as Luke finally concluded his account.

Having boarded the familiar ship and programmed the dispensers according to their respective selections, Han Solo sat in silence for several moments before finally asking, "So, unless you aren't completely successful in everything you're about to attempt, then she may never even have to use her new powers?"

"My mentors are developing a much more complete plan," Luke carefully answered, not wanting to dash his friend's misplaced optimism any more than he wanted to confess that he was now at odds with the Council. "I don't yet understand its particulars. Leia and I will rest for a few hours; and then, we will resume training. Tonight, I hope to be able to present her to the Council. After that, we should have a much better idea of the parts we might each have to play."

By his presence, after Luke and Leia arose, Captain Solo gave his silent support to the various exercises that consumed the rest of the day. When evening came, since he understood that he would not even be able to observe all the participants and really had no place at such a gathering, Han remained inside the ship while Luke and Leia headed for the clearing. They quickly learned that the Jedi Council did indeed have a plan.

"So, Princess Leia, we finally meet," said Obi-Wan, bowing. "As I'm sure you know, I honored your request for assistance; and now, I must ask for your aid. Unfortunately, the Star Killer cannot be scuttled immediately after it's used to destroy the Kamino system. It is the best chance of drawing the clone away from Coruscant. Luke probably wouldn't be able to reach the central systems after destroying the Star Killer anyway. All the Imperial Fleet will surely be sent to intercept him, but the Star Killer could eliminate most of them instead while they're disabling it. After that, the Emperor will probably board it to try and take it from Luke. We need for you to go to Coruscant and change a transponder code to summon any remaining Jedi. We're also hoping that you can use your father's influence to recall the Galactic Senate."

Luke was grateful that his mentor didn't mention the fact that the Council didn't truly approve of his plan. But being confused by the assignment that was being given to Leia, he objected, "Yoda, I thought I was the last of the Jedi. Isn't that what you said?"

"Different my vantage point now is," Yoda answered. "Escaped some of the Jedi did. Changed the code to warn them did Obi-Wan and I. Joined us now they have, due to old age, but apprentices some took and trained. If called upon they now are, come they will to defend the Senate."

"Obviously, this all totally depends on your ability to defeat the Clone Emperor," said Obi-Wan. "And your father will provide you with additional training to help you overcome such a servant of the Dark Side once you're underway to the Star Killer. But for now, you need to focus only upon instructing your sister."

"My Masters, if I may be so bold as to ask," began Leia, carefully pausing to receive nods of approval before continuing, "where must I go to change the transponder code?"

"The Emperor transformed the Jedi Temple into a museum, with himself serving as curator," Obi-Wan answered. "It was an odd thing to do, considering how urbanized and industrialized is the rest of the planet. When the facility fell into disuse, he must have had plenty of highly profitable offers regarding its possible renovation. We think he must have wanted to keep it as a trophy. The server for the transponder system is in the basement. Once you're close, we'll guide you to it."

"There is a matter of considerable importance that I think we need to discuss," Luke said insistently. "The Clone Emperor could contact me at any time. I am going to have to appear to acquiesce to this awful apprenticeship. Deception is a design of the Dark Side, and he is exceptionally perceptive. I know the idea for this plan was mine; but now that it comes to it, I'm uncertain of my ability to truly deceive him."

"Clever your question is, and wise are you to wonder," Yoda answered, nodding in obvious appreciation of the inquiry. "Honesty you must employ in your persuasion of the Clone Emperor. But consider this you should, are not indeed murderous your designs?"

"I see your point, Master," Luke carefully agreed. "However, my intent includes his assassination. Just because I present the side of myself that is resigned to eliminating others, I'm not sure he won't also see that part of my plan."

"Expect it he will," Yoda replied. "Doubtful am I that any apprentice of the Dark Side entered into the service of a Sith Lord without also intending to replace him. Balance the two sides of the Force must you, as only have we ever seen you do, if finally dissuaded from this dangerous course you cannot be."

"Fear of failure is not an option," Obi-Wan agreed, holding Luke's gaze. "And we will have an alternative plan in place just in case. If this Emperor should succeed in wresting control of the Star Killer away from you, it'll hopefully be too damaged to be an imminent threat; and, with it, you will also have almost entirely eliminated the Imperial Fleet. Then, it will be up to the Alliance to engage and eradicate what's left. With the Jedi surrounding the Senate, even if Darth Chrysalis should somehow survive the conflict and return, they may be able to hand him his final defeat and restore the Republic."

At the risk of alarming Leia, Luke quietly suggested, "It might be possible to destroy the Star Killer as soon as he comes aboard to fight me for it, thus assuring the outcome."

Luke could feel the tension in his sister as he suggested such a desperate course of action. But she rightly remained silent as she awaited the Council's reply. It appeared as if Obi-Wan were about to speak. The siblings had both seen him sacrifice himself on the first Death Star. But Yoda raised a green hand and silenced the specters all around him.

"Believe in your ability to defeat the Dark Lord you should. Foresee your failure you should not," he insisted. "Prepared however your astrodroid could be to perform such a final service, if unexpectedly the need were to arise."

"Of course, Master Yoda," Luke agreed just as casually as he could. He could sense how relieved Leia was by the wisdom of the Grand Master's ruling. The ethereal eyes of Anakin were aglow, and even Obi-Wan appeared placated.

"At some point, you must remind me to tell you about my many adventures with your astrodroid," Anakin added. "Obi-Wan and I both had our skins saved on no small number of occasions by that little droid. I'm glad you're now able to rely on such assistance."

"You're acquainted with R2-D2?" Luke incredulously asked. But before Anakin could respond, he added, "But wait a minute. Now that I think about it, R2 originally insisted on being the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're saying all three of you actually have some kind of history together?"

"I actually programmed R2 to look for Obi-Wan in order to give him the plans for the Death Star," Leia volunteered. "But my father had told me about their prior relationship."

"I suppose you would be even more stunned to learn that I am the one who actually built C-3PO," Anakin added. "After I left Tatooine, to go and be trained as a Jedi, C-3PO and my mother both became servants of the Lars household. Both droids were with your mother and me when we went to Geonosis, which is where the Clone Wars began. They remained in our service until we were ultimately separated on Mustafar, and that was the last time I ever saw her."

"Senator Organa had the protocol droid's memory wiped, which is why C-3PO didn't recognize your home on Tatooine," Obi-Wan interjected. "But both droids had been there before."

Returning to his father's last statement, Luke asked, "How'd you and my mother get separated on Mustafar?"

Anakin perceptibly paused before finally replying, "I tried to kill my mentor, Obi-Wan, and fortunately failed. At the conclusion of that duel, I'd never have believed that I would live and she would die. I wish it could have been otherwise; but then, we would not have this chance to finally restore balance to the Force."

"Luke, return to your Padawan's instruction now you should," Yoda concluded.

"Thank you," Luke and Leia answered in spontaneous unison as they ceremoniously bowed before the vanishing specters.

The training session that followed was brief, but very intense. Neither of the siblings had enjoyed much in the way of rest since the destruction of the Death Star. Since Leia was progressing so well, Luke deemed it appropriate for them not to risk exhaustion. He needed to be sure that he was strong enough for his upcoming encounter with the Clone Emperor. He felt certain that it would be very soon. Not surprisingly, he was unmistaken.

No sooner had he said goodnight to his sister, leaving her to spend quality time with Han aboard the _Falcon_, and turned to make his way towards the commandeered A-wing than he was subjected once again to the Clone Emperor's unnerving image. Evidencing his murderous intent in accordance with Yoda's suggestion, he informed the Sith Lord of his decision to accept the offered apprenticeship. He was unsettlingly certain that all his other ambitions were also appallingly evident, but the clone's reaction was unreadable.

"Your real reasons are irrelevant," sneered the insidious shape. "Once you're under my tutelage, you'll come to appreciate the correctness of this course. The power of the Dark Side is the ultimate instructor of the Sith. The Star Killer is in orbit above Geonosis. Its crew has been informed of your imminent arrival. Whatever star system you choose to obliterate will help bring peace to the Empire; therefore, show no remorse. Know that you are required to kill in order to truly ally yourself with the Dark Side. Fortunately, this initial assignment actually accomplishes both aims; and, as a consequence, you should experience no conflict in completing this task. Come and join me on Coruscant after you have finished."

Many thoughts crossed through Luke's mind at the conclusion of that conversation. He considered an immediate lift-off; after all, he was on his way to the same ship that he intended to take to the rendezvous. It would also, although unfairly, save him from what were sure to be some very difficult goodbyes. Both droids were however on the _Falcon_. He needed to take R2-D2 with him. It would raise suspicions to unexplainably summon the astrodroid. He also found that he really wished to enjoy one last night surrounded by the idyllic environs of Endor. Climbing aboard, he sealed the hatch, stretched out on his bunk, and dreamed of a universe where any form of oppression was utterly unknown.

Even under normal conditions, sunrise over Endor would be almost too breathtaking to describe. The debris from the Death Star had been dissipating for days. Little was left of its solid rubbish in orbit; but the dwindling dust cloud was still producing a spectacular, multi-hued halo around the ascending alien sun. As Luke lowered the landing-ramp and walked out from the A-wing into the dazzling dawn, an envoy of Ewoks approached and greeted him. Their furry faces looked almost artificial in the curiously colored light.

As Luke was well aware, the natives were quite enamored of Leia. Eventually, they came to understand that he, and not C-3PO, was really the source of the magic they had witnessed. From afar, as they were on their way to visit Leia and all their other friends on the _Falcon_, they had observed her training in progress. Understandably uncertain of their situation, they had elected to stay at a distance. Now that there had been an interruption in the intense schedule, they decided it was time to come calling. They were not alone.

Han had taken care of informing the rest of the rebels about the Clone Emperor and the Star Killer. As he slowly came to understand the siblings' emergent scheme, through his sporadic conversations with Leia, he had also relayed that information to all the other leaders of the Alliance. After learning the outcome of their meeting with the Jedi Council the previous evening, General Solo had called for a special briefing. Everyone wanted to display their willingness to do whatever was now required. An impressive army of rebel soldiers was with the Ewoks, and they had brought breakfast.

He had been so fixated on instructing his sister, there had not been time for Luke to understand just how much he was missing the friendship of his familiars. Bear hugs and boisterous back slaps abounded as the smiling assembly enveloped him. At length, Han finally managed to move alongside the Jedi Master and explain that the show of support had been at his suggestion. Although Han did not understand the immediacy, he knew it would not be long before Luke had to leave. Han thought it would be wise to provide him with the opportunity for a speech before the anticipated departure.

As Luke was filling his plate with food, Wedge Antilles came alongside him, saying, "These Emperors must all be idiots. They keep building doomsday weapons and we just keep destroying them. You'd think they would finally see how pointless it all is. You know the old saying though – third time's a charm. Maybe the destruction of this Star Killer will ultimately bring an end to the Empire. And then, I guess we'll have to go out and get real jobs!"

Luke laughed uproariously. And it felt good to do so. He had forgotten how flippant some of his friends could be. Stepping into the buffet line just behind them, at that point, Lando Calrissian chuckled too. Chewbacca was right behind him.

The former owner of the _Millennium Falcon_ gestured at the Wookie and said, "You might just want to warn our mutual friend about that. Han would probably rather face the entire Imperial Fleet that be consigned to such a fate. I guess there's just no accounting for tastes. Poor Chewy."

The Wookie did a wonderfully good job of making the subsequent collision look like an accident; but, by the time Lando had regained his footing, Chewbacca had assumed his place in line behind Wedge. The commander of Rogue Squadron was so amused by these antics that he nearly upended his plate of food. Nobody took the slightest notice of the almost imperceptible movement of Luke's hand or the way the contents of Wedge's plate defied the force of gravity and remarkably remained in place.

Han and Leia joined the foursome, bringing their plates with them. The conversation was lighthearted, especially considering the perilous campaigns they were each about to embark upon. Everyone was deeply aware of the many members who were now missing from their assembly. The series of successes, which they had enjoyed, had only come at extreme cost. However, they knew the best way to honor their fallen friends was not with long faces, but with revelry. And, as soldiers, they also knew how to excel in celebration.

The Ewoks excelled as entertainers. Some of them were going around and filling up everybody else's goblets. Many were demonstrating some very demanding dance steps. Obviously, they all understood that at the conclusion of the banquet the rebels would all be on their way. They were attempting to keep their new companions around just as long as they could. Despite the attrition in their tribe, which had been considerable, they were celebrating as well. They had all seen the evidence of the Death Star's destruction in the sky, and it made them feel as if they had participated in a war between heavenly powers. In fact, they felt quite justifiably as if they'd played a significant part in helping the power of good overcome that of evil. They knew they were living in their glory days and would look back longingly at the time that was about to end. So, they were trying to prolong it.

As the consumption and the camaraderie both began to taper off, Luke stepped part of the way back up the ramp of his ship, to put himself in view of everyone, and said, "As you probably already understand, the Emperor has unknowingly given me an opportunity to eradicate the cloning facilities in the Kamino system, bringing to an end the line of his dominion and his supply of Storm Troopers. He'll have to regain control of his doomsday weapon. It will probably take the better part of the Imperial Fleet to disable the Star Killer sufficiently enough for him to be able to board it. In the process, I hope to almost entirely eliminate his armada. If he should succeed in killing me, and R2 is unable to destroy that dreadnaught, it'll then be up to the Alliance to obliterate both the Star Killer and whatever remains of the Imperial Fleet. My sister's mission is to recall the members of the Galactic Senate and secure them with all that's left of the Jedi. Even with the Emperor away, she will probably need your help in reaching and then achieving her objectives on Coruscant. I encourage you to give whatever aid you're able. To the restoration of the Republic!"

A chorus of cheers spontaneously erupted from all the onlookers. In response, Luke lifted his wooden goblet, obviously of Ewok design, and drained it, completing the toast. Han and Leia climbed the gangplank and lingered long enough to say their farewells as their two droids maneuvered through the crowd in order to make their way to the ramp. It seemed to C-3PO that R2-D2 was about to accept a suicidal mission. Many times had such seemed a most logical calculation, but on this occasion it appeared almost certain.

"R2, please do everything you can to keep Master Luke safe. It would be just terrible if anything where to happen to him," the protocol droid insistently said. "And please take good care of yourself as well. Things simply would not be the same without you."

The meaning of the stream of mechanical sounds that issued forth in response from the little astrodroid was unintelligible to all the other bystanders, but the humanoid robot seemed to be satisfied with the enigmatic answer. C-3PO remained near the base of the ramp, demonstrating with abrupt posture shifts something that looked like emotion, while R2-D2 slowly rolled up the incline. In the meantime, Chewbacca had taken advantage of the brief delay and joined Han and Leia on the A-wing, giving Luke a bear hug goodbye. Lando and Wedge had taken the opportunity to shake hands with Luke as the meal was coming to its conclusion. They stood at the base of the ramp beside C-3PO and looked on as the Jedi knight prepared to take his leave of Han, Leia, and Chewbacca.

Luke advised his three friends to evacuate the Alliance from the system. And as the trio was descending back out of the ship, each took the opportunity to pat the astrodroid on its domed head. As they did so, it whistled in appreciative response.

Having raised the ramp, Luke proceeded directly to the cockpit and began preparing the craft for liftoff. R2-D2 dutifully followed. Moments later, as the ship soared up into the sky, Luke angled the A-wing fins for flight. And after having completed the programming of the course into the navicomputer, he finally turned to R2.

"I'm going aft. I need to talk with some old friends," he told the droid. "I need you to keep a close watch on the scanners. We're in an Imperial A-wing, which would normally deter most marauders. But as far into the outer rim as we're going, we could encounter some creatures to whom that might mean nothing. Inform me if anything approaches."

R2-D2 obediently beeped its intent to comply with the request. Luke made his way to the rear of the craft. There, he entered a meditative state and summoned the specters of his mentors. In mere moments, he was communing with his old instructors: Obi-Wan and Yoda. Anakin was with them as well.

"Together, my father and I were ultimately able to defeat the previous Emperor; but I nearly died, and he actually did," Luke stated matter-of-factly and as unemotionally as he could. "The successor has been intentionally engineered to be even more powerful. How then can I hope to overthrow him all alone?"

"Not alone are you in all this," Yoda countered by way of correction. "The Force your ally is. Condone your scheme we do not. But withholding our help will only make matters worse. Act as your advisors we will."

"Each of us engaged in combat with servants of the Dark Side," Obi-Wan informed him. "Some of us were able to defeat them. The best way for you to truly understand the types of techniques involved requires us to directly show our experiences to you. Open yourself to our examples."

Through the eyes of Obi-Wan, Luke then witnessed the battle with Darth Maul. He felt his friend's grief as Qui-Gon Jinn was slain before him. He saw how Obi-Wan Kenobi mastered his emotions and was finally able to turn a near defeat into victory. He watched with satisfaction as the separated sections of the Sith Lord slid down the shaft along with the peculiar weapon he had wielded.

From the perspectives of Obi-Wan and Anakin, and then Yoda, Luke saw the initial battle with Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyranus. He was particularly interested to see how Obi-Wan and Yoda used different techniques to counter the Sith Lord's attacks, Obi-Wan with his lightsaber and Yoda with a much more hands-on approach.

It surprised Luke to learn that Anakin had actually slain a Sith Lord. He watched with apt attention, through the eyes of each, as Obi-Wan and Anakin faced Dooku again. Obi-Wan's early elimination from the fight left Luke immediately alarmed, but then he saw his father defeat and behead his foe. He recognized the man who ordered the execution. He had already seen this enemy in two different forms. And it was unsettling to see just how oblivious the Jedi Council was to the Chancellor's true nature.

Anakin and Obi-Wan elected to spare Luke from witnessing their fateful encounter in the Mustafar system; but, although he had failed in his attempt to eliminate the Emperor, Yoda allowed Luke to witness that heartbreaking battle. Once it finally finished, they sat silently for several minutes.

"Not stronger are the servants of the Dark Side, only more opportunistic," Yoda said, summarizing. "Defeat to them all did finally come."

"Is there a chance the Clone Emperor is aware of how you're all helping me?" Luke inquired, recalling a concern that had occurred to him earlier.

"Detect our presence this Emperor may, but our councils he cannot infiltrate," Yoda said, reassuringly. "Shrouded however by the Dark Side are this clone's intentions. And not yet revealed to his apprentice do I yet believe them all."

"From what we've been able to discern, Dark Lords tend to test their apprentices in some highly unorthodox ways," Obi-Wan explained. "He would have no misgivings about putting your life deliberately in danger, just to see if you really have the wherewithal to be his student. We've even heard of potential trainees being used to eliminate each other."

"Promotion by proxy, ascension through assassination," Anakin agreed. "That is, in fact, how I replaced Dooku; although I can't say that I see its relevance in this situation."

"Luke, from what you've told us, the Emperor called your command of the Star Killer your first assignment," Obi-Wan continued, choosing not to directly respond to Anakin's statement. "This may be a test for you in more ways than we're expecting. He will accept nothing at face value. Doubtfulness to him is almost a weapon. It failed him in the matter of your father's last-minute betrayal. He will not make that mistake again. You are almost certainly walking into some kind of trap."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Luke anxiously asked.

"Spring the trap," Obi-Wan simplistically replied.

"He cannot believe that you've turned wholeheartedly already," Anakin added. "You resisted that impetus on the Death Star. But you must convince him that you have such a propensity. Whatever happens, you have to respond with aggression. Be empowered by your anger. Unless you demonstrate that tendency, perhaps repeatedly, he will reject you as his potential apprentice. You must set aside remorse, kill without conscience, and be helped by your hatred. To really balance the Force in this way, embracing an alliance with both of its sides, has never before been achieved. But you must use the darkness to hide the light of your true intent. This is how he failed to understand that I had become a danger to him. If there is a shortcoming in the teachings of the Jedi, it is this: it is not evil to deceive the darkness."

"This lightning Dooku and the Emperor unleashed," Luke tentatively began, "I didn't see any of that in the duel with Darth Maul or in either of my encounters with you. Could you explain why?"

"Some of my abilities were biologically compromised," Anakin explained, "although I could still deflect laser blasts with my mechanical hands. I honestly believe the Emperor foresaw my disfigurement, and he allowed it to happen so I would no longer be capable of confiscating his kingdom. It may be that Darth Maul was simply not strong enough yet with the Dark Side of the Force to utilize such offensive options. In order to achieve such ability, you'd have to become altogether evil. You must find some other way to defeat the Emperor. Be aware that it's also possible to strangle somebody by using the Force."

"Listen to your father you must," Yoda insistently agreed. "Swallowed up by it are all who thirst for power. To such a dark end you must not allow yourself to be led. Become the next Emperor you would."

"I have now seen that electrifying ability thwarted both with and without a lightsaber," Luke replied. "And I'm much more optimistic about facing the Emperor again. Thank you for sharing your experiences with me."

Most of his ephemeral instructors dispersed. But Obi-Wan and Anakin stayed as did another member of the Jedi Council, a man whom Luke knew as Master Windu. They all had specific techniques that they wanted to be sure he had indeed apprehended.

"Levitation is only one aspect of how the Force can be used to defy gravity," Windu began. "Some of the gymnastics you used in your final fight with your father come close to what I'm talking about, and the option you used in order to ultimately escape from him at Cloud City may come closer still. It is possible for a Jedi knight to almost approximate flight, and the ability to execute a death-defying leap can create an unexpected means of escape. In fact, it can even leave your enemies to assume that you met your demise."

Master Windu then allowed Luke to experience, first-hand, the incredible bound he had performed from the platform and into the arena on Geonosis, all while removing his flaming garment. Obi-Wan shared the example of how he and Qui-Gon had leaped down from a lofty ventilator shaft and into one of the landing bays of a Federation ship. He also showed Luke how supernatural speed, yet another application of the Force, had enabled them to escape from a pair of destroyer-droids. Master Windu asked Luke to excuse him at this point, leaving Jedi Master Skywalker alone with Anakin and Obi-Wan.

"Using the Force, you can also create a concussion wave," Obi-Wan continued. By way of example, he showed Luke the final confrontation with General Grievous. After he had stripped the cyborg of most of his lightsabers, Obi-Wan had then hurled his enemy into a distant wall with such a wave. Luke was also able to see how this same technique had been very effective on several occasions against battle-droids.

"I was a fool to let Dooku use levitation against me the way he did in that last battle," Obi-Wan continued. "You must always be aware of the Force around you. A concussion wave can be used to nullify the effects of such a levitation attack, but only if you counter it before you are in its grasp. I'd have died that day had it not been for your father. Learn from our examples and, most of all, from our mistakes. These techniques could make all the difference in your encounter with the Emperor. And there is one other thing."

"What's that, Master?" asked Luke.

"There are ways to use the Force between yourself and the surfaces that surround you," Obi-Wan replied. "You did this on impulse when you attacked Jabba's ship as you did, climbing up its side when there really was no purchase for your hands or feet. It was a similar method that allowed Anakin and me to keep from being sucked out into space when General Grievous smashed one of the windows on the bridge of his ship. You can sometimes use it to disguise your presence, especially from those who aren't particularly perceptive, and blend into the background. This application served me well on a number of occasions, including our incursion of the first Death Star; although I doubt that it'll help hide you from the Clone Emperor. Like the old Jedi mind trick, it really works well only on the weak-minded. Now, you need to rest. You have a very busy day ahead of you. And I need to return to your sister's training. She is also being instructed in these techniques."

"Thank you for all of your additional instruction," said Luke. "I now have a great deal of peace about the coming encounter. And I realize that you and the rest of the Council are also instructing Leia, so I suppose I shouldn't keep you. I'll contact you again, soon."

"The Force will be with you, always," Obi-Wan answered before disappearing again into its netherworld, leaving the father and son alone.

"No matter how repulsive this might be for us both," Luke hesitantly said, "I need to understand what happened to you."

"My fall was actually facilitated by a series of bad decisions, several of which were in direct disobedience to specific instructions," Anakin answered. "I will try to outline for you just how I was led astray, for led I most certainly was. I regarded Chancellor Palpatine as a mentor, which I'm sure is precisely what he intended. And I wasn't able to see through his cloak of deceit any better than my superiors."

"How did it begin?" Luke pressed.

"Padme Amidala, your mother, was the Queen of Naboo when we first met," Anakin wistfully replied. "After rotating out of that office, she served as their representative to the Galactic Senate. Obi-Wan and I were assigned to protect her after an attempt was made against her life. When it became clear that the plot was much more complicated than we had assumed, he was dispatched to determine its source while I was sent to escort her back to Naboo. The Jedi Council believed it would be easier to safeguard her there, and my mandate was to do exactly that."

"But that's not how it worked out?" asked Luke, intuitively leaping to the conclusion.

"No," Anakin uneasily answered. "I'd been having nightmares about my mother, your grandmother, for some time. They became distractively intense while I was on Naboo. In my rashness, I told Padme that I was going to have to leave her in order to try and save my mother. When she told me that she'd go with me, I thought that made it okay. But we were both disregarding the Jedi Council's instructions at that point. And so it was that we went to Tatooine. After tracking my mother, Shme, to the Lars residence, we discovered that Tusken Raiders had kidnapped her. I went after her alone. I finally came upon her in the very last minutes of her life. She died in my arms. And in my anger, I killed the entire tribe; men, women, and children."

"After the Alliance fled the Hoth system, I was trained on Dagobah by Master Yoda. While there, I had a disturbing vision of Han and Leia in danger," Luke pensively replied. "I believed that I needed to interrupt my training in order to go and save them. Yoda and Obi-wan, who'd already transformed into the Force, both tried desperately to discourage me. I wouldn't listen. This is what brought me to Bespin and Cloud City. As I'm sure you know, nothing good came of that diversion either. I lost my hand. What happened next?"

"Obi-Wan tried to contact me on Naboo, only I wasn't there," Anakin admitted. "But Padme and I went to Geonosis, thinking we could get there first and rescue him. Again, we essentially circumvented the Council's instruction. We consequently found ourselves in the middle of the Clone Wars. And as if that wasn't bad enough; when Obi-Wan and I caught up with Count Dooku, I raced to engage him in combat. If I had only followed my Master's lead instead, perhaps it wouldn't have cost me my arm. When we survived that initial battle, I was sent to escort Padme back home to Naboo. We were secretly married there, totally contravening the Jedi Code, despite our prior agreement to the contrary."

"That must've made your lives quite complicated," Luke ventured.

"Exactly as she'd said it would," Anakin agreed. "She also said it would destroy us, and maybe it did. Not long after she told me she was pregnant, I began having dreams about her death. In my visions, she died in childbirth. I became obsessed with finding a way to keep it from happening. Somehow, Palpatine became aware of our relationship and my fears about our future. When he revealed himself to me as a Sith Lord, he also insisted that he alone could help me save her. I had told Master Yoda something of my dreams, without revealing whom they were about. He told me to train myself to let go of all that I feared to lose. I was unwilling. I turned Palpatine over to the Jedi Council. But I could not force myself to remain behind while they went to arrest him, as instructed. And so, I came to the Chancellor's chambers just in time to intercede and save him from the lightsaber of Master Windu. Believing the Dark Side of the Force offered the only answer for saving your mother's life; I sided with an abhorrent abomination. I never guessed that I would become at least as repulsive myself. I thought I was saving Padme."

"And having made that fateful decision, you saw no choice but to carry it through to its conclusion?" Luke asked.

"At that point, I had essentially sold my soul, opening myself up to the Dark Side and its most insidious deceptions," Anakin answered with obvious anguish. "I was without the means to determine if my new Master had deceived me, nor could I dare to consider that he might. I simply accepted everything he said and I did whatever he told me. It was like ruling the universe and saving the woman I loved had become the same thing. I actually thought that the power of hate could somehow be made to serve the purpose of love. In my refusal to accept the possibility of losing Padme, I came to the point where I actually sacrificed everything else instead. And in the end I lost her love as well. She couldn't be the burden for which the remainder of my humanity was traded. Of course, I should have seen it coming. All I could see however was what my Master showed me, because it was all I really wanted to see."

"So, when we finally met, you had lived with remorse for almost two decades," Luke concluded.

"Be very careful that you don't give too much credit to what I'd become," Anakin said in reply, surprising his son. "My only remorse was for the loss of Padme. Aside from that, my only option was to absolutely believe in the validity of my hatred. It defined me, giving justification to everything I'd done. I didn't experience real remorse until I saw what I was doing to you. Like Padme, you believed in me. I couldn't let you die for that too, although I had no idea how I'd live with the knowledge that all my choices had been wrong. It was really a blessing that I didn't have to. Here, my faults have met their forgiveness. If such were not the case, I couldn't even speak of these things to you. And I hope you'll forgive me for drawing this session to a close. I've said enough for now. You must be given time to mediate on all that's been disclosed. But you've only to call on me, Luke, if you need."

Luke had only just recently awakened from the first really good night's sleep he had enjoyed in a long while, so he elected to return to the cockpit. R2-D2 seemed grateful for the company as the familiar figure dropped into the pilot's seat, greeting the spacecraft's only other occupant with a series of electronic sounds. After smiling appreciatively at the astrodroid, he reached over and dimmed the interior lights. He then sat in the darkened cockpit and watched the starscapes slip by, recalling the dreams of his youth.

Despite not being tired, he managed to doze off. He was awakened by a sound from R2-D2. Moments later, after noticing a distant object on the scanner's display screen, he heard the static burst of a signal coming in. They had entered the Geonosis system. The Star Killer was already discernible as a radar return, orbiting the planet before them. The signal was coming from the distant ship. A male voice abruptly announced itself over the ship's speakers.

"We have you on our scanners," the voice unemotionally droned. "Identify yourself."

"This is the Imperial Shuttle Narcissus," he rejoined, making the most of the fact that he was actually on the late Emperor's ship, "commanded by Luke Skywalker. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded."

"We are prepared to receive you, Commander," the voice evenly answered although Luke believed he detected duplicity in the radioman's reply. "Please follow the beacon to the designated landing bay."

"I will need the officers assembled," Luke authoritatively intoned. "We need to select an appropriate target against which to demonstrate the power of this battle station. Bring all of your latest intelligence reports. I need to know where the Separatist systems are."

Luke was not lying. He wanted to know which star systems he should defend while drawing the Imperial Fleet into battle. And his request was, of course, the expected one.

As he maneuvered his commandeered vessel along the indicated approach path, he wondered what insidious reception actually awaited him. The communication officer was definitely withholding important information from the ship's new commander. He recalled the words of Obi-Wan as he brought the stolen shuttle to a stop in the center of the bay: _spring the trap_.

**Chapter Two: Dark Star**

Buried beneath the surface of a moon in the outer edge of the Kamino system, the secret cloning facility had lay darkened for a couple of decades. Only a series of lighted panels betrayed the presence of active technology. One monitored the vital signs of the clones. One indicated the stability of the individual stasis fields. The last one tracked the constant transfer of information that had until recently been coming from the Emperor's biometric implant. There had never been a need for any other, active observation. All of this time, medical droids had been standing ready to assist with any emergence. It was inevitable that at least one of the clones would eventually come forth.

With the deactivation of the stasis field, the clone of Darth Sidious awakened. Like some kind of unbelievably formidable Frankenstein's monster, he sprang with obviously superhuman strength from the scientific sarcophagus in which he had been residing. His garments looked like living things as they ripped from the sterile packages and rushed to wrap around him, impelled by his unparalleled use of the Force. So nightmarish a sight would have traumatized any rational observer, but none were present.

With a wave of his hand, he activated a console in a corner of the cavernous room. It obediently displayed all the spaceships in the Kamino system, almost all of which were of Imperial designation. Selecting the closest of the three gargantuan command ships as the target for a tight-beam broadcast, he used the Emperor's personal code to contact it. The officer who received his signal responded with understandable incredulity; but then, he almost instantly transferred the call to the captain.

"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated," said the Clone Emperor. "Luckily, it was only a decoy that was killed. Home in on my beacon and come to retrieve me. Inform no one about your activities until I am onboard."

The captain's reply was laced with tones of suspicion, but he could hardly ignore an Imperial edict. It had come to him with the correct code, which quick crosschecking had completely confirmed. He issued the order, and the ship proceeded towards the source of the signal. As the massive vessel was assuming an equatorial orbit above the barren moon, landing bay doors abruptly opened between peaks in an unremarkable mountain range. The captain elected to send a robot ship to the surface to retrieve the disputable passenger. He also placed an entire platoon of his best soldiers in the selected landing bay, although whether to welcome or to repel he could not yet tell.

As they were waiting for the droid ship to collect its questionable cargo, the captain had his crew continue in their attempts to scan the underground asylum; but the beams were unable to sound its structure. As a result, they were utterly unaware of the warfare that was raging within the cave-like enclosure as the new Emperor awakened clones of each of his previous servants and had them fight to the death, eliminating each other for the opportunity to become his sole accomplice. The only thing the scanning crew could really certify was that there were actually two life-signs that finally boarded the shuttle.

To have become the captain of a Corellian cruiser was not a small thing. There were very few people to whom the vessel's commander was required to defer. It seemed most imprudent to him however not to be present in the landing bay as the shuttle docked. As he stood there with his armed escort, awaiting the unknown, a disturbing feeling of dread began to impose itself upon him. And it was amplified when only one of the two detected occupants actually exited the robot craft.

While the ramp was still in the midst of lowering; one of the technicians reported that the ship was being reprogrammed for a trip to Geonosis. The captain was about to order an interruption of that effort when a dangerous-looking, dark-clad figure suddenly strode down the walkway. Although the captain had never actually met the man before, he was very well aware of the Emperor's appearance. And although certainly sinister, the figure before him did not meet the expected requirements.

"Weapons!" he barked at the surrounding soldiers.

Before the Storm Troopers could deploy their blasters and take aim on the indicated target, the man opened his hands in their direction. The weapons were ripped from their grasps. They abruptly spun in the air, hovering, as each took deadly aim upon its owner. Instinctively, the soldiers raised their hands in response. The captain fell to his knees.

"Your Majesty!" he breathlessly exclaimed. "Please forgive me! I was fooled by your appearance! I didn't recognize you!"

The Emperor lowered his hands, releasing the floating firearms; and, as they noisily clattered to the floor of the landing bay, he authoritatively answered, "Arise. I need you to alert all commands and tell them that the reports of my death were purely propaganda. If the Alliance is still assembled in the Endor system, we can quickly crush them."

"Your Highness," the captain hesitantly replied. "Word of your assassination resulted in an outbreak of interstellar war, making it necessary to recall most of the Imperial Fleet to the central systems. Of the outlying Imperial positions, only Kamino and Geonosis are still heavily defended. It will take some time to assemble an armada for such an assault. Is it indeed your desire to have some of them withdraw from around the worlds of the old Republic and be redeployed for this purpose?"

"Take me instead to Coruscant, Captain," the Emperor forcefully responded. "I need to restore my control of the Empire before I do anything else. My apprentice is taking the robot ship to Geonosis. He will deal with the leader of the Alliance, or maybe I'll earn my enemy's allegiance. But issue the communiqué about my survival, as instructed, and get the ship underway as soon as possible. Also, advise the Geonosians that my apprentice is on his way to them. I will be selecting my own quarters. That is all."

In a blur of Force-induced speed, the Clone Emperor left the landing bay. There was a certain Jedi knight with whom he needed to communicate. He smiled sadistically as he considered the trap that he was setting for his oblivious apprentice. He contacted Luke.

As the captain turned to carry out his orders, he wondered how the Emperor could have known what he was about to say. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the shuttle was withdrawing from the landing bay. He had no idea what manner of occupant was now on the way Geonosis, but he had the distinct feeling that he should be grateful for not having made the acquaintance. However, he could not help but be curious about the Emperor's mention of the leader of the Alliance and the possibility of an allegiance.

Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, to whom the Clone Emperor had been referring, stood warily at the top of the A-wing's ramp, watching the appliance descend. Thinking it would be best for R2-D2 to wait until assistance with a computer interface was required; he had instructed the astrodroid to remain within the shuttle. However, now that he was actually inside the Star Killer proper, he was certain of something he had started to sense during his final approach. There was a tremor in the Force. It was emanating from somewhere within the immense station. The last time he had experienced such a thing was while in the presence of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Emperor Palpatine.

As he emerged from the Imperial shuttle, he took note of the squad of soldiers that stood ready to receive him. They stood smartly at attention. There was certainly no sign of dishonesty on their part, but to Luke it was apparent that the officer who approached him was hiding something. And yet, curiously, he did not feel as if the man himself were a threat.

"Commander Skywalker, welcome aboard the Star Killer," he said. "I am Lieutenant Colonel Zander. If you will come with me, I'll show you to the command center."

Luke had the distinct feeling that he was being relied upon to play a specific part. He decided to test the resilience of their respective roles and see if Zander was actually able to adapt. While landing the shuttle beside it, he had been fascinated by a little battleship that was also there in the bay. If he was indeed the station's new commander, then there was no reason for him to delay in initiating an inspection. Truthfully, he was quite curious about the capabilities of the stout little craft.

Standing firm, rather than following as requested, he gestured in the direction of the tiny warship and asked, "What manner of vessel is this?"

"That's the _Dauntless_. For a ship its size, it's incredibly powerful and maneuverable," Zander replied. Seeing how Luke seemed to be set on testing the limits of their situation, he managed not to sound patronizing, as he then asked, "Would you care to take it for a spin, Commander, or do you think it would be best for us to get underway?"

Luke felt that he had been played, that his bluff had been called; but, because it had been so expertly done, he could find no opportunity for taking offense as he offhandedly answered, "Well, since the Empire is falling apart, I suppose we should stick to business. Perhaps we'll have another opportunity for such a distraction."

The squad fell in behind the men as they made their way toward the rear of the bay. From a weapons locker aboard the shuttle, Luke had taken the liberty of adding a blaster to his accouterments. At the time, yielding to such temptation had seemed insignificant.

Into the centermost sections of the station the group circuitously wound their way. It seemed to Luke that his escort was setting him up for some kind of ambush; and yet, he continued to feel that they did not represent the real danger. His sense of a disturbance in the Force increased the further inside the structure they went. Finally, they reached a doorway that clearly opened onto a large area. Zander paused as he was about to enter a code on the keypad beside the ominous portal, turning to look at Luke.

"If it comes to it, I hope you'll hold me blameless in this," he inexplicably said. "You'll have to go through a sort of ceremony before you can take control of your post. You see, right now the Star Killer is under his command."

Before Luke could question the officer's enigmatic statement, the door slid aside. In a single heartbeat, he recognized the frightful form of Darth Maul as he felt his lightsaber unclip itself from his belt and fly into the Sith Lord's hand. At precisely the same moment, the soldiers raised their weapons and began firing on him. _From what we've been able to discern, Sith Lords tend to test their apprentices in some highly unorthodox ways_.

Using his mechanical hand to deflect the laser blasts in much the same way as his father had done when fired upon by Han Solo at Cloud City, Luke drew his own blaster. Seeing how ineffectual their attack was, and fearing an immediate reprisal, the soldiers interrupted their effort and rushed to take cover. Luke turned the weapon on Darth Maul.

The Sith Lord had already activated both of the lightsabers which were unfortunately now in his possession. He crossed them in front of himself as he prepared to deflect the anticipated laser blasts. But the Jedi Master had never even intended to fire. Luke sent a concussion wave in the Force against his unprepared opponent instead, throwing Darth Maul back into a wall and causing him to lose his grip on the same lightsaber he had just confiscated. It returned obediently to its original owner's hand.

Seeing that Luke's attention seemed to have strayed from them, the Storm Troopers resumed their attack. As he dove through the doorway, with a speed that astounded his would-be assailants, he tossed his blaster down the hallway in their direction. Reflexively responding, one of the soldiers shot it. The ensuing explosion briefly blinded both he and his comrades. When destroyed, all handheld blasters had been deliberately designed to release all their energy in the non-lethal, visible light spectrum. With a wave of his hand, as he activated his lightsaber, Luke sealed the doorway, locking himself inside the room with Darth Maul. The Clone Emperor's assassin laughed with obvious amusement at the display.

The Sith Lord had been uninjured by the impact with the wall. And he was preparing to respond in kind. But he could tell that Luke was ready to counter any such attempt as the Jedi Master circled his evil opponent. The two titans regarded each other for several long moments, getting a sense of the other's mastery of the Force.

"And I thought the old Emperor was ugly!" exclaimed Luke, with highly exaggerated revulsion, electing to open their dialogue with an insult. "Although you will leave a much better-looking corpse this time without the tattoos. Obi-Wan Kenobi killed you before he was even made a Jedi Master! What chance could you possibly think you have against someone who began as his apprentice? Don't you have enough sense to stay dead? Is Count Dooku skulking around here as well?"

"I already killed the clone of Dooku," Darth Maul gleefully declared. "And I am much more powerful for having done so. In case you've forgotten, I'd already killed Obi-Wan's instructor before the learner got lucky. And once I eliminate you, I will enjoy an eternity of ruling over the Empire as second-in-command. It's too bad that the Clone Emperor had already killed your father's clone before I emerged, you pathetic little punk, or you could have been reunited with your daddy."

"First of all, your path to immortality is a ruse," Luke replied. "You're not Darth Maul, even if you have his memories. And you will die, whether or not someone else with your memories replaces you. Secondly, you are the one who got lucky in the matter of killing Qui-Gon Jinn. You can be sure you'll enjoy no such fortune today. And finally, my father and I have already been reunited. It'd behoove you to remember that it was Darth Vader who killed your master. And that was after I'd already dismembered him, like this!"

With a Force-propelled leap, Luke launched himself in the direction of his opponent. As he did so, he also unleashed a concussion wave to keep Darth Maul from attempting to entangle him with levitation. The Sith Lord sensed his enemy's intentions and moved out of the way, but Luke succeeded in gaining his desired position. As he touched down, he initiated a scathing lightsaber attack. To the unseen observers, all having transformed into the Force, it was like watching a replay of Luke's final swordfight with his father.

In actuality, Darth Maul was much more skilled in the martial arts than was Luke. He was also wielding an exact replica of his lethal, double-bladed lightsaber – the saberstaff with which he had dispatched Qui-Gon Jinn. But neither technique nor technology could compensate for the determination and wild abandon of the Dark Jedi's attack as the Sith Lord was relentlessly driven back. He was no more able to find an opening in the assault than Luke's father had been as he was manifestly forced to give ground.

As many of Darth Maul's previous victims would attest, the saberstaff is at its most dangerous in close quarter situations; which is actually the situation that ensued, as the Sith Lord finally refused to retreat. As he avoided the whirling peril of the blazing blades by executing a series of seemingly impossible somersaults, Luke then elected the most unexpected of options and landed right in front of his foe. Grabbing the saberstaff by its shaft, Luke forced one of its bright blades into the metal floor, thus making the fearsome weapon momentarily immobile.

He knew Darth Maul would leap aside if he tried to reach around with his lightsaber, and he could feel the concussion wave that the Sith lord was preparing to unleash; but, as he spun away from the anticipated counterattack, Luke lashed out with his lightsaber and sheared the staff of his enemy's weapon in two. Darth Maul was suddenly no longer in possession of a double-bladed staff.

"Pathetic!" Luke spat, spitefully. "You're nowhere near the opponent that my Master killed! What's wrong with you? Wasn't your midi-chlorian count increased like that of the Clone Emperor, or did he reserve that little dividend only for himself?"

"So that's why Anakin didn't stand a chance, yet Darth Chrysalis absorbed all of the clone's energy," expostulated Darth Maul, apparently having an epiphany. "We Sith grow stronger through the lives we take. As a clone, I've only killed Dooku; but when I kill you, I'll be at least as strong as I was in my previous incarnation, and I'll have won the right to receive the biometric implant that will assure my immortality."

"Darth Chrysalis is a perfect epithet for someone I'm going to crush like a bug!" Luke sarcastically proclaimed. "But as for you and your counterfeit resurrection, we've already had that discussion! You die today, forever!"

Without the advantage of his double-bladed weapon, the staggering Sith Lord was exceptionally hard-pressed to meet Luke's now extremely resolute attack. Multicolored flashes flew as the two titans pushed their supernatural abilities to the limit. Darth Maul had disabled the security systems in the large compartment. All of the inactive cameras therefore afforded the crew no view of what was transpiring inside the room; but, despite the thickness of the interposing walls, they could hear the reports of the two lightsabers as each intercepted the other with incredible energy. The men began to wonder if their formidable battle station might actually be endangered by the unobservable duel.

Had the Sith Lord not been constantly forced to defend, he might have been able to better employ his superior knowledge of martial arts. But each time he attempted to turn the tide of the battle, it left him at a positional disadvantage. The vitality of the Dark Jedi seemed inexhaustible as he continued to bring blow after determined blow against his overwhelmed foe. Darth Maul was unavoidably driven back in much the same manner as Darth Vader had been in that last duel on the Death Star. One end of his saberstaff had already been rendered useless; and, without that tactical advantage, he could not hope to outmaneuver this Jedi Master in the way that his predecessor had the last one.

In truth, Qui-Gon was not the only Jedi that Darth Maul had ever killed, but none of them had fought with such bestial ferocity. And the Sith Lord's supernatural perceptions seemed to be unbelievably telling him that his enemy's enormous strength was actually being fueled by outrage at the Sith Lord's insolence. By comparison, not even the clone of Dooku had responded with such fury. His inability to comprehend how a Jedi Knight could be so improbably empowered put him at an unexpected disadvantage.

They were fighting at such close quarters that there really was not room in which to launch a concussion wave attack. But as Luke used his lightsaber to pry his opponent's compellingly out of the way, he unexpectedly loosed his left hand from its shaft and used the Force to apply a stranglehold, as suggested by his father, to the throat of Darth Maul. Having been taken entirely by surprise, the astonished Sith Lord suddenly found himself in the completely compromised situation of fighting for both breath and leverage.

Ultimately, he was not able to do both. His head came away cleanly as Luke finally forced the functioning remains of the saberstaff aside, abruptly beheading the bug-eyed Sith Lord. As the cadaver crumpled before him, he turned to the doorway, through which he had originally entered the now smoke-filled compartment, and used the Force to open it again.

Zander was standing there. With only the slightest showing of hesitation, he entered the room. No one else accompanied him. Luke insightfully understood that they were all waiting to see if the victor would also elect to kill the man who had led him into the trap.

"Congratulations, Commander," the lieutenant colonel smoothly said. "The station is now officially yours. I am sure you understand that the Emperor's orders did not allow for me to inform you of Darth Maul being onboard. But we're now awaiting your orders, sir."

"Contact Coruscant, if that's where the Emperor is now. I need to speak with him as soon as possible," said Luke. And then, seeing an opportunity to take advantage of what the Sith Lord had told him, he said, "Set course for the Kamino system. This command is not the only prize I'm owed due to my victory over Darth Maul. There's also an implant."

Punctuating his instruction with a show of power, Luke extended his hand and made the functional half of Darth Maul's inactive saberstaff fly up from the floor and into it. The fact that he pointed its business end at Zander, as he handed it across, was not the least bit lost on the apprehensive officer. And as the lieutenant colonel tried to take the trophy, it was not immediately released into his grasp. He froze in place, not daring to move.

Luke held his gaze for several long moments, before saying, "Have your technicians see if they can repair this. If not, I'll fix it myself; but you'll have failed your first test as my second-in-command. I think you understand how bad an idea that would be."

"Yes, of course, Commander," Zander shakily replied as Luke finally allowed him to take the token. Straightening and swallowing, he continued, "Our probe droids found no trace of the rebels anywhere around Endor. We thought they might return to somewhere like the Yavin or Hoth systems, but our long-range scans have detected no such activity. Once we've completed our mission to Kamino, have you selected the system we will be targeting?"

They had only just stepped into the adjoining hallway, where they were immediately flanked by rows of Storm Troopers. Being aware of the opportunity to make an example, Luke abruptly turned toward Zander. The lieutenant colonel suddenly found that he was helplessly hovering in midair. The Dark Jedi snatched the remains of the saberstaff back out of his trembling hand. Not a single member of the escort dared to react. They simply stopped and waited to see what would now happen.

"I've changed my mind," Luke announced with ominous overtones. "I'll fix it myself. I want the Emperor to see it in my hands, anyway. It's not your place to question an order; least of all before it's even been given, and certainly never before the men. I am going to have to promote your most immediate subordinate, since your service aboard my station just came to end."

As the Storm Troopers looked on powerlessly, Zander was summarily strangled to death before their helmet-hidden eyes. His body was then allowed to fall lifelessly to the deck plate. Luke paused for effect, as if he were waiting to determine if he would need to kill anyone else. He then looked down the hallway towards where the other officers were waiting to receive him.

"I'm still waiting for someone to put me through to the Emperor," he hissed. "Where is the subspace communicator?"

"I'm Second Lieutenant Eisley, sir," one of the officers replied, stepping forward. "I'd be honored to escort you. This way please, Commander."

As Luke followed Eisley around a corner, he conversationally asked, "Did you know there's a space port on Tatooine called Mos Eisley? Is there any relationship?"

"None that I'm aware of, sir," Eisley replied. He then carefully added, "But thank you for asking."

It was immediately apparent to Luke that he had certainly succeeded in placing the station's compliment on tenterhooks. As they continued their route to the communication room, Luke reiterated his instruction regarding the destination of Kamino in case Zander had not relayed it. He also gave his escort a field promotion, making him Major Eisley.

The technicians stood at attention as Luke and Eisley entered the communication room. In mere moments, they had summoned the holo-image of the Clone Emperor. As Luke bowed before the evil visage, everybody else instantly followed his example. Jedi Master Skywalker ceremonially extended the remnant of the slain Sith Lord's saberstaff.

"My Master, Darth Maul is no more," he solemnly intoned, raising his eyes to meet those of the ominous image. "He died like a craven coward. Your increased midi-chlorian count notwithstanding, it was wise to kill my father's clone immediately upon awakening. All the power derived from previous victories apparently does not transfer to the clone."

"You will grow stronger with the Dark Side each time you kill," the Emperor replied. "And speaking of that, where is Lieutenant Colonel Zander?"

"He wasn't able to keep his tongue in check, so I choked him with it. Major Eisley is now my second-in-command," Luke answered evenly.

"You probably only saved me the trouble, my apprentice," Darth Chrysalis cackled. "I'm glad to see how seriously you're taking this assignment, and how eager you are to increase your personal power. But tell me, have you selected your target?"

"Before I embark on my mission to make an example of a Separatist system," Luke answered, "I'd first like to go to Kamino and give them the genetic material with which to begin my clone and receive the biometric implant for uploading my experiences. Have I not won this right, my Master? I pray that you'll not now withhold from me the promise of immortality."

"The cloning facility is not on Kamino," said Darth Chrysalis, by way of correction. "It is buried beneath the surface of a moon in the outskirts of their system. All they know is that the Empire purchased it. Droids attend to its operations. I'm relaying its coordinates and the code for gaining access. You have indeed now demonstrated your qualifications for serving as my second-in-command. Contact me again after you have completed your mission to Kamino and selected your initial target. Until then, may the Force be with you, my young apprentice."

As the Emperor's three-dimensional image faded before them, Luke turned to Major Eisley, saying, "Since the second Death Star was destroyed, this battle station, of which I've been given command, is now the most powerful weapon in the galaxy. I need you to tell me all about its capabilities. I must understand everything about its operations. There can be no aspect of which I'm unaware."

"As its name implies, sir," the major candidly responded, "this product of Geonosian engineering can actually destroy a star."

"Can it, like the Death Star, be used to single out specific worlds instead?" inquired Luke, managing to hide how hopeful he really was of an affirmative answer.

"No, it doesn't have that ability, sir," Major Eisley replied as he ushered Luke in the direction of the bridge. "The particle-beam system creates a cascade effect in the heart of a star, causing it to hyper-nova, but the station is easily able to outrun the shockwave. Its defensive systems are state-of-the-art, but it's no better equipped to actually attack a planet than, say, a Corellian cruiser. In the matter of waging war against a specific world, it's an all or nothing scenario. That's why it really is the ultimate deterrent to secession."

"Is there a disadvantage?" asked Luke as if the prospect was not already distasteful enough. It was now clear to him that there was no option for simply destroying the secret facility at the edge of the Kamino system, even though doing that would not eliminate the Empire's supply of Storm Troopers.

"It totally sterilizes space for at least three parsecs in every direction around the star that is destroyed, sir," Eisley answered. "Even in the Outer Rim, that would have to make havoc with the shipping lanes. There'd be all kinds of collateral damage to the adjoining systems. And, of course, if it were used against any of the core systems, there would be widespread, long-term effects. It would probably destabilize the Empire. In that regard, it really is a doomsday device. Once it's been demonstrated, no sane administrator would initiate the kind of action that would require its response. From here, you're effectively in control of the galaxy in a way no Death Star commander could've ever even imagined."

"So," Jedi Master Skywalker summarized, "with a succession of Chrysalis clones on Coruscant, and an inexhaustible supply of myself circling the galaxy in the Star Killer, the Empire really does become perpetual, doesn't it? But what if this station were somehow to be taken?"

"There is a failsafe, sir," Eisley replied as he ushered Luke onto the bridge. "There's some kind of self-destruct device incorporated into the station. Only the Emperor has its code. My understanding is that it can be neither activated nor deactivated from here. No possibility of it falling into the wrong hands for very long actually exists. Of course, while you're onboard, no one would have a chance of taking it anyway."

Using Force-produced, superhuman speed, Luke slipped suddenly in front of Eisley, turning to confront him at close quarters, and asking, "I do appreciate the sentiment, but aren't you afraid I'll just eventually kill you the way I did your superior?"

The major did not even blink as he replied, "I don't intend to ever give you a reason, sir. But have you stopped to wonder why the lieutenant colonel was in charge of such an important facility? That thing you killed, back in the bay, murdered most of the command structure's upper echelon almost as soon as it came onboard. Zander should never have been in charge, and you have already been far kinder a commander than your homicidal predecessor."

"Good answer, Major," Luke replied, grinningly. Pulling his communicator from one of his pockets, he then spoke into it, saying, "R2, lock onto my signal. I'm on the station's bridge. Come and meet me here."

As soon as R2-D2 arrived, Luke had the technicians explain the various functions of which they were in charge, saying, "It's much too critical for me to understand everything about this battle station. My astrodroid will be able to help me if I fail to pick up on some of the finer details. All of my supernatural abilities notwithstanding, I still need to have the competence for command."

The engineers and the officers seemed to accept Luke's rationalization without any question. Of course, Jedi Master Skywalker was actually making certain that he and his astrodroid would be able to operate the station in the crew's absence. At the conclusion of the briefing, he had Major Eisley show him to his quarters. R2-D2 went with them.

"As I'd indicated, sir, there's been some serious and totally unforeseen attrition with regards to the command structure," Eisley explained as they left the bridge. "I hope it will be okay with you if I put you in the Admiral's quarters. They are the most comfortable of any on the station. And I was wondering if you would approve of me upgrading my own."

"That'll be fine, Major," Luke replied. "There is one other thing though. I don't want to proceed directly to the cloning facility. The Kaminoans are very technologically advanced and are sure to monitor the presence of this station in their system. With all the unrest in the Empire right now, and their continued cooperation being so critical, I think it would be best if I paid them a visit and reassured them. We can then proceed to the cloning facility afterwards. Therefore, have the navigators set their course for Kamino Prime."

"Very good, sir," replied Eisley as the two men and the droid arrived at the doorway to Luke's exceptionally spacious quarters. "I'll relay your orders to the navigators. I'll also let you know when we reach Kamino. Is there anything else, sir?"

"Yes," Luke replied. Handing the major the remains of the saberstaff, he said, "Have your technicians see if they can repair this. If they can't, then I'll fix it myself. But I would much rather spend my time familiarizing myself with this station and its systems. Beyond that, I'm satisfied with everyone's performance for now. That'll be all, Major."

"Thank you, sir," Major Eisley replied. He then executed an Imperial salute, turned sharply, and strode purposefully away.

Upon entering his quarters, Luke turned to his redoubtable astrodroid and said, "R2, scan the room for any kind of audio or visual surveillance. Deactivate anything you find, and let me know when you've certified that we're secure."

While R2-D2 executed the requested sensor-sweep, Luke settled himself upon the most comfortable-looking piece of furniture and prepared to press into the Force. Once he was satisfied that he was under no electronic observation, he entered the meditative state and sought to commune with his mentors. Anakin was the only one available, and this neither displeased nor surprised the newly installed Commander of the Star Killer.

"Everyone else is very busily involved in instructing Leia," Anakin informed him. "We had already agreed however that I should be at the ready as your resource. I saw your duel with Darth Maul. Impressive, most impressive; but how can I help you, my son?"

"Something happened to me when I killed Maul and Zander," Luke confessed, quite candidly. "Slaying the Sith Lord was unavoidable, and I gained critical intelligence in the exchange. The Lieutenant Colonel was more of a test I set for myself; to see if I could kill without provocation, and to make sure my subordinates knew better than to test me any further. But I also experienced an inclination for killing that hadn't been there before. I'm not sure I can even claim any remorse over the murder. And it left me feeling energized."

"Killing through the use of the Force is the most immediate path to the power of the Dark Side," Anakin admitted. "It may help you in your encounter with the Emperor, but it can be extremely addictive. You could end up actually becoming the very thing you have set out to destroy. You must maintain your balance. And it could be particularly difficult, since you will undoubtedly have to take more defenseless lives."

"I'm going to see the Prime Minister of Kamino," Luke carefully explained. "My hope is that I can convince him to evacuate the system. This station doesn't have the ability to destroy something the size of a planetoid. In order to eliminate the secret cloning facility, I will have to destroy the entire star system."

"The Kaminoans are a very reclusive race," Anakin advised him. "Despite being one of the most technologically advanced in the galaxy, they seldom venture out of their own system. Had the Empire not developed, I still doubt that they would ever have joined the Republic. They'd have never gotten a volunteer to maintain a diplomatic presence in the Senate. You're going to have to be exceptionally persuasive. They're far too intelligent to succumb to the old Jedi mind trick. Do you have any idea of what you are going to say in order to try and convince him to do something as extreme as an evacuation? Remember that their cloning facility is contracted to the Empire. They'll not abandon it lightly."

"If I tell them we've received intelligence about an impending rebel attack, perhaps I can persuade them to use the cruisers to flee the system and leave the clones to help us defend the planet," Luke suggested, revealing his scheme. "Since the true nature of this battle station is unknown to them, it would even explain the arrival of the Star Killer. If it works, only the Storm Troopers and the other Imperial ships will be here when I destroy the system. That would minimize the taking of any innocent lives, while still allowing me to accomplish my larger goal."

"It's an interesting approach, if you don't give yourself away in the process," Anakin answered, adding the caution. "But excuse me if I'm not overly optimistic. You probably had a better chance of buying Solo's release from Jabba, and we both know how much of a bloodbath that turned into."

"Right, I opted for the non-violent approach on that occasion as well," Luke replied. "But I don't think you can really conclude that there was actually any loss of innocent life. Jabba surrounded himself almost exclusively with bounty hunters and bandits. After all, everybody on those barges viewed execution as a type of entertainment."

"Well said. I concede the point," Anakin answered, obviously amused. "And I'm not trying to defer you from your attempt to get the Kaminoans out of the way. Just don't set yourself up for a devastating disappointment if it doesn't end up working out for you any better than the gambit on Tatooine. Frustration is one more path to the Dark Side. If you end up having to kill the Kaminoans, it will be far less perilous for you personally if you're remorseful about it and not already upset with them at the time. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Luke seemed momentarily taken aback by his father's unexpected admonition, but he finally replied, "Yes, I do now. I'm concerned that I hadn't seen the possible downside of my plan. The Dark Side really is insidiously seductive, isn't it?"

"Which is probably why my Dark Master received so sinister a designation," Anakin quietly responded as Luke understood with revulsion that he had very nearly named the previous incarnation of the Emperor. "But I will be very interested to see if this works out for you. It certainly seems to represent the only possible way to spare the Kaminoans. If however you're not successful, and while I don't want to sound like I'm condoning killing on such a scale, you might consider just how questionable is the enterprise in which they are engaged and how much damage has been done to democracy as a direct result."

"I will carefully consider everything you've said," Luke circumspectly replied. "Thank you for your counsel. I'd better rest now. I've got a planet full of people to try and save."

"Sleep well, my son," Anakin's specter answered, disappearing into the shadows at the edge of the dimly lit room.

Eisley had given Luke the command codes. Since R2-D2 was not employed in any other activity, and there was an uplink to the station's central computer in the Admiral's quarters, he had the little astrodroid interface with the facility's system. While he rested, the robot familiarized itself with every nuance of the Imperial network. When it came time to seize control of the station, he wanted to be certain his robotic accomplice was easily equal to the challenge. He was also very troubled about the presence of a self-destruct device. While he wanted to have the option of destroying the station himself, it was very worrisome to think that Darth Chrysalis could eliminate him with the touch of a button.

Major Eisley had told him that the device could neither be activated nor deactivated from anywhere inside the station. However, Luke also understood how deception was a tool of the Sith. There was consequently no reason to assume that such a relatively low-ranking Imperial officer had been told the entire truth. If it could be found, and its control could be apprehended, R2-D2 was definitely the droid for the job. But Luke also told the astrodroid to employ extreme caution. Such a search had to be conducted with extreme secrecy, since there might be safeguards to prevent the device's detection. If the Clone Emperor became aware of the attempt to isolate the failsafe mechanism, it might not be possible for Luke to hide his true intentions in the ensuing interrogation.

Despite all the unknowns of their situation, Luke did indeed sleep well, right up until Major Eisley arrived to inform him that they had just entered orbit around Kamino Prime. Then, the officer waited patiently at the communicator panel, outside of Luke's luxurious quarters, while the station's commander showered and dressed.

Luke emerged in the best fitting of the uniforms he had found in the Admiral's closet, under which he had carefully concealed his lightsaber. His intention was to appear to the Prime Minister of Kamino as an extremely high-ranking emissary of the Empire, not as a Jedi knight gone rogue. Consequently, he was somewhat surprised when Eisley handed him Darth Maul's saberstaff, now fully functional.

As Eisley instinctively raised an eyebrow at the official-looking attire, while gingerly handing over the saberstaff, Luke said, "I want to reassure the Prime Minister, not scare the daylights out of him. Lightsabers and such tend to have that effect on people."

"I understand perfectly, sir," the major replied, sounding as if he most certainly did.

With R2-D2 behind him, Luke left the major at the landing bay door and boarded the A-wing. It seemed very strange to him that the Emperor's shuttle, in which he had borne his father's remains away from the last Death Star, had become his most common mode of transportation; but it made sense to take the Imperial shuttle down to the planet. After the communiqué, which Luke had just transmitted, he knew the Prime Minister would be expecting a dignitary with such attire and transport. But once again, it felt like he was just playing a part, and it bothered him that so much of his plan seemed to rely on deception.

He had considered leaving his astrodroid on the Star Killer, mainly to monitor all the activities in his absence; but he really felt there was no need for such espionage. Major Eisley was clearly a competent commander and would certainly do nothing at this point to incur the wrath of his superior; and a small showing of faith, by taking his mechanical counterpart with him, would help to demonstrate confidence in his second-in-command. Luke certainly did not need any assistance from the little droid when it came to handling the A-wing, but he thought that the robot's sophisticated scanners could come in handy.

Angling the craft's wings, as he cleared the confines of the landing bay, Luke aimed the nose toward the planet below. It immediately became apparent to him that this world was altogether unlike anything he had ever encountered before. As he dove though the moisture-laden atmosphere, this fact was even more powerfully hammered home. After growing up on a desert world, he had spent time mainly among forests and on one globe of ice. The oceanic world was as altogether alien an apparition as any he could imagine. He wondered if it rained there constantly. A brief discussion revealed that Obi-Wan had also entered through a stormy sky, although the Kaminoans did not appear amphibious. As essential as they were to the Empire, little about them seemed to really be known.

Coming in low over the rolling waves, he got his first naked-eye view of the capital city. He immediately questioned how it could have been built. It rose on steel stilts above the anger of the ocean all around it. Given the violence of the environment in which was erected, its construction seemed impossible; but its supports appeared as impervious to injury as the ocean's assault seemed ceaseless. It immediately occurred to him that this place held mysteries that had never been understood; but whether they would thwart or aid his design, he could not yet discern.

Circling around the suspended metropolis and considering its resemblance to Cloud City, he finally touched down on the indicated landing pad. The rain was falling in sheets.

A willowy receptionist greeted him at the entrance, introducing herself as Sauma Su, daughter of the previous Prime Minister. After politely ushering her guest and his droid in from the deluge, she turned and escorted them down a brightly lit passageway. To Luke, it seemed as if such a sprawling city should be much more densely inhabited. Few other pedestrians were to be seen in the expansive surroundings. He intentionally avoided any intense interaction with his escort, choosing to prepare himself instead for his upcoming interview with the Prime Minister. He was led to a large but oddly empty room.

"Daras Ko, the Prime Minister of Kamino, is currently on leave of absence, because of a recent addition to his family," Sauma said, smiling. "Nevertheless, he is coming in to see you. We do not know the nature of your visit. Your communiqué did not say anything about your reason for requesting this appointment. However, you are valued customers; and since his schedule is free, Daras should be able to spend as much time with you as required. He should be here momentarily. Please be seated. Can I get you anything?"

At Sauma Su's suggestion, a chair descended into a nearby corner to receive Luke, who replied, "Thank you for your kindness, but I'm currently in need of nothing."

With a nod, the receptionist left. Luke did not have to wait long for the Prime Minister to arrive. As the graceful official elegantly entered, Luke stood and introduced himself as Admiral Skywalker. Wearing the uniform of office, his statement was assumed as true.

"I am very pleased to meet you," Daras Ko politely responded. As he did so, he also made a gesture. A second seat descended into position near the one that Luke had just left; and, as he settled himself into it, the Prime Minister said, "Please, let us sit and talk of the reason for your visit. Is there any dissatisfaction with the last shipment, or is there some other reason we are being honored by such a distinguished dignitary?"

"Before we discuss such difficult things, if I may, I'd like to ask you about your city," Luke replied, trying to get some sense of the unusual life form that he was about to try to manipulate. "This is the most impressive facility I have ever seen, but I don't understand how it could have been built. How were you able to construct it in the middle of the sea?"

There was a distinct sparkle of inquisitiveness in the Prime Minister's alien eyes, as he paused, before responding, "In all our arrangements with outsiders, never before has anyone ever seemed curious about our culture; and it is not possible to explain how this city came into being without first giving some extensive historical background."

"Please, I would like to hear," Luke insisted. As a rule, as the Jedi Master well knew, most types of sentient creatures are far more susceptible to a suggestion when it seems that the party making the recommendation displays genuine interest in either themselves or their society. Truthfully however he was not simply playing politics. He had the distinct sense that something in the explanation would directly impact his plan.

"Once upon a time, our world was like many others," Daras Ko began. "There were woodlands, prairies, deserts, rainforests, mountains, and oceans. There were also polar ice caps. Our ever-increasing industrialization gradually heated the planet's atmosphere. First, there were violent storms; some in the plains, and some that started over the seas. Each year, for decades, they became stronger. However, we did not understand how we were responsible for the waywardness of the weather; and then, things got much worse."

"Why didn't you just leave?" Luke asked, unintentionally interrupting. "Surely space travel was not beyond your ability, even then. You have one of the most technologically advanced civilizations I've ever seen."

"At the time, it would have been impossible to evacuate the entire planet," Daras Ko patiently replied. "And we were beginning to realize that we had done this to ourselves. It was entirely possible that we'd just make the same mistakes somewhere else if we didn't take the time to understand them first. As the polar ice caps melted, we found ourselves forced to flee before the rising seas. At first, overpopulation was a serious problem. With so many abandoning the coastal cities and retreating inland, our already supersaturated society was becoming too concentrated. It was at about this time however that the birth rate began to fall off sharply. The damage to the atmosphere, from all the pollutants, was causing it to allow a dangerous amount of radiation to reach the planet's surface. People were becoming sterile. It seemed as if our society had reached its end."

"How did you survive?" Luke anxiously gasped, finding it unnecessary to exaggerate his response.

"Many bloodlines did not," Daras Ko heavily answered. "With the increase of sterility, many families arrived at a final generation. By this time, the population had diminished to such an extent that an exodus across space would have been possible; but it would only have left us to perish somewhere else. With everybody at this point unable to propagate, our very existence became dependent upon our ability to definitively understand how we had come to such a desperate point. And so it was that we solved the secrets of both the atom and the gene. Before the ocean had entirely overflowed what remained of the land, we built the structurally impervious super-cites, engineered to stand for centuries against the ravages of the waves."

"And your understanding of genetic engineering allowed your race to survive," Luke correctly concluded. "It also gave you a very important resource to export. But I still don't understand why you stayed. Your commerce certainly doesn't depend on your location."

"We have accepted the challenge of living within the conditions we created," Daras Ko replied in a tone that somehow reminded Luke of Yoda. "It would be irresponsible to abandon the planet that produced us. We carefully manage its underwater resources. In fact, there are probably very few races capable of subsisting as we do, for we ensure the replacement of everything we extract and take conscientious steps to assure the survival of each remaining species. In the natural course of events, our sun will finally exhaust its fuel. When that time comes, we may cross the cosmos. Maybe by then we will truly have become responsible enough to assume stewardship of another planet. But we will never discard our homeworld for the sake of convenience, as inhospitable as others might find it. We are Kaminoans. This world is who we are. It is the essence of our identity. To turn from it would be to turn from ourselves."

Luke sat in silence for several moments. His plan was falling apart right before his disappointed eyes. Nevertheless, he had to at least make the attempt. Now, more than ever, he felt driven to save the race whose representative could make such summations. He could not bear to think that he was actually preparing to bring about their extinction.

"What if you were in terrible danger?" Luke suddenly asked with immense intensity, using his mastery of the Force to strengthen his suggestion. "What if every inhabitant of your planet was at risk and only by leaving could you ensure their survival? What then?"

When Daras Ko hesitated, Luke continued, "Agents of the rebellion came against an Imperial installation in the Endor system and actually succeeded in destroying the sister station to the one I command. I am here to officially request an evacuation. I'd ask you to leave the clones here to possibly defend the planet but put your people on their cruisers and flee this system until the conflict is over. Their lives are hanging in the balance."

Luke had carefully crafted his compelling proclamation in such a way that it relied on no deception whatsoever. It had the force of truth, which it was. If anything were going to persuade the Prime Minister, he thought, this would have to be it.

"We are aware that there have always been those who consider our specific kind of commence quite questionable. And when the Republic metamorphosed into the Empire, we also knew that the consequences of our collaboration had conceivably increased. As I indicated earlier, our society has become based on the idea of accepting accountability. To evacuate, as you have advised, would be in direct contradiction to our very culture. It would do no good to bring this before the Planetary Council. They might well accuse me of wasting their time, even wondering why I had interrupted my leave of absence. This is not a course of action I can even condone, let alone advocate. I am sorry. If the enemies of the Empire have become so powerful that you cannot save us from them, then we will simply perish. A series of wrong choices, if that is the activity is which we have engaged, logically comes to such a conclusion," Daras Ko softly said with heartfelt resignation.

Rising quickly to his feet, before he could be overwhelmed by his uprising emotions, Luke hastily said, "Thank you very much for your time, Prime Minister. I'll do what I can."

Jedi Master Skywalker seriously considered using superhuman speed to escape the suddenly oppressive feeling of the spacious city. However, he feared that Prime Minister Daras Ko might contact the Star Killer in order to inquire about such an unusual ability in its ambassador. And if he were to innocently make a reference about the request, which he had just received from Luke, the results could be catastrophic. Despite his mastery of the Force, Luke was compelled to put one foot systematically in front of the other until he had finally reached the landing platform.

Although robots were not supposed to be imbued with actual emotion, the little droid was whirring with something that sounded distinctly like anxiety by the time they boarded the A-wing again. As much as Luke hated to describe the horrific scenario, he needed to be sure if R2-D2 was capable of assisting in the type of takeover that he was planning to carry out upon his return to the Star Killer.

"R2, you interfaced with the station's central computer," he softly said as he began the launch sequence. "I need to know if, by using the command codes, you can bypass the safety protocols, seal the ventilators to the bridge, deactivate the gravity generator, and open all the hatches on the Star Killer, excluding the bridge, in rapid succession."

He knew some of the crew would be off-shift and in their bunks. But the disorienting loss of gravity would make it a lot harder for them to resist the explosive decompression and remain onboard and for any potential survivors to reach the emergency facemasks. He also knew that R2-D2 was aware of the murderous implications of his query. He was essentially asking the astrodroid if it were capable of accomplishing the killing with such fatal efficiently. But after only a moment in which to analyze the operations involved, he was not surprised when the little robot indicated with a definitive beep that it did indeed possess the required capacity.

It took Luke much longer than was required to begin the launch cycle. He sat there in the pilot's seat and looked out over the riotous waves. He tried to think of anything he could yet say to possibly change the Prime Minister's mind. Nothing suggested itself. He even spent a moment communing with his mentors, hoping for a creative suggestion. No one could come up with anything. Knowing how utterly definitive would be his departure, Luke did not want to leave. By doing so, he knew he was condemning the Kaminoans to death. He stared at the control panel, fighting tears.

Seeing that he could not really console his prior apprentice, Obi-Wan tried instead to distract Luke by telling him about the battle with Jango Fett that had happened in almost precisely the same place. The only fact that Luke seemed to glean from the tale however was that the Jedi had never enjoyed much success when it came to Kamino. Despite the determined attempt by Obi-Wan to apprehend him, the bounty hunter had escaped. Obi-Wan was forced to follow him to Geonosis, and only by faking the destruction of his ship had the Jedi Master ultimately reached that destination; but only to be captured. He then had found himself sentenced to die and escaped only to find himself in the middle of the first engagement of the Clone Wars. Although he survived, the victory had been hollow.

Luke feigned fascination but was hardly reassured. Nevertheless, since he had no other option, he engaged the shuttle's engines and began the trip back to the Star Killer. He was quiet as they finally climbed above the storm. Even R2-D2 was strangely silent.

As Luke made his final approach to the station, he used the shuttle's communicator one final time, instructing Eisley to meet him in the landing bay. He then tested the two ends of the Darth Maul's recently repaired saberstaff on that particular system, severing the circuit boards throughout the console. R2-D2 protested noisily until Luke succeeded in assuring the alarmed astrodroid that his actions were both deliberate and necessary.

As Jedi Master Skywalker, with R2-D2 at his side, strode down the extended ramp from the rear of the A-wing, Major Eisley entered the landing bay. Seeing that Luke had already disembarked, the Imperial officer visibly hastened his approach. He had no idea why he had been summoned, but he was clearly determined to gratify his commander.

As he came to a stop and snapped smartly to attention, Eisley happened to see the smoke that was wafting down from the open hatch of the A-wing He asked with sudden concern, "Sir, is there something wrong with your ship, should I call for the technicians?"

As the sight distracted the officer's attention, Luke simply lifted both hands and used the Force to extract both the major's blaster and personal communicator. Eisley was, of course, immediately apprehensive; but Luke's answer startled him much more severely.

"Nothing that will interfere with the long journey you're about to take in it," Luke said. As he saw the questions forming in the major's mind, he continued, "The Kaminoans will not evacuate. But you have served me well, and yours is now the only life I can spare."

Instantly understanding the situation, Eisley surprised Luke by replying, "Maybe not, sir. There are some others who could benefit from your benevolence, if you'll allow it."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked intently. "What others?"

"Officers are allowed to have their family members onboard," Eisley answered. "My wife and I have no children. The Admiral had a wife and children, so did the Captain. We were afraid that sending them down to Geonosis would amount to a death sentence; so they're still billeted aboard, housed in what would have been guest quarters. The widow and orphans of the lieutenant colonel are still with us as well."

Eisley swallowed hard as he concluded his statement, and Luke understood why. It had never even occurred to him that an Imperial officer would be a family man. He could barely look the major in the eyes, but he finally gestured at a panel near the doorway at the back of the bay and said, "Use the ship-wide intercom. Announce that the Star Killer is about to proceed to its first target and that the station commander has very graciously agreed to allow the family members of the fallen officers to use his shuttle to leave at this time. They may proceed to a system of their selection while we commence maneuvers."

"I can't thank you enough, sir," Eisley replied, with obviously honest gratitude. There were tears forming in his normally emotionless eyes.

"Major," Luke said, bringing the Imperial officer to a halt as was turning to make his way to the console. "My astrodroid will scan the potential passengers for communication devices. There are to be none. You need to hit the hyperdrive as soon as possible, once you've cleared the station. If you try to approach any of the ships in this system instead, I'll have the shuttle scanned; and when you are discovered aboard, I will say that you've deserted. Widows and orphans notwithstanding, I'll have you blown from the heavens."

"I understand," Eisley evenly answered. "Your instruction will be absolutely obeyed."

Luke stood well to the side as the wives and children arrived. The women were far too relieved to question the commander's surprising stipulation. They easily surrendered their personal communicators. He had positioned R2-D2 at the base of the ramp, where it was a simple matter for the astrodroid to inconspicuously scan the passengers as they were boarding. No one attempted to violate the covenant. Major Eisley was the last one to board. He turned and saluted Luke one last time, and then the late Emperor's shuttle became a life raft for the bereaved refugees. With the single exception of the slaying of Darth Maul, Luke felt like it was the only admirable thing he had done since starting his questionable campaign. He watched with relief as the shuttle cleared the landing bay.

As the astrodroid, relieved of its sentinel assignment, moved to join its master, Luke said, "When we get to the bridge, I want you to position yourself by the weapons control panel. There's a computer uplink there. Being plugged in would probably keep you from floating around when you deactivate the gravity generator, but magnetize yourself to the deck plate just to be sure. When I give you the order, initiate the sequence. But as soon as it's complete and you can divide your attention, I want you to zap anybody who even comes close to that panel. Once they realize that I am taking the station, they may try to sabotage such critical systems. I'm going to have to try and deflect any laser blasts they get off into either them or what little nonessential equipment there is on the bridge. Let's go."

Despite the deadly duty that now lay immediately ahead, Luke lost no time in getting to the bridge. He needed to confirm that Major Eisley and the shuttle's passengers were all now on their way out of the system. He felt vindicated when he was told that they had already entered hyperspace. When the scanning technicians ask Luke if he wanted them to calculate the shuttle's course, he saw an opportunity to distract them.

"Yes, I'd like to know where they went," he replied. Turning to R2-D2, he confirmed that the astrodroid had assumed its station. And then, he very softly said, "R2, execute."

The first part of the ominous operation involved the sealing of all the ventilator shafts that led to the bridge. The interruption of that airflow, almost imperceptible, was achieved without detection. But the next event in the sequence got everyone's instant attention as they suddenly found themselves helplessly hovering in the absence of gravity. As one of the officers tried to turn and look to Luke for a possible explanation, warning lights began to go off. The bridge crew saw that the entire rest of the station had just been opened to space. At the exact same time, they heard the horrifyingly telltale sound of the activating saberstaff. Luke thought it only appropriate to use Darth Maul's tool for the terrible task.

If the Dark Jedi had been a little better acquainted with his father's history, he might have been reminded of the murderous rampage on Mustafar when the newly christened Darth Vader remorselessly slaughtered all the Separatist leaders. The bridge crew had no better chance against an attacker who could apparently attach himself to any surface and perform impossible maneuvers in midair. More of the men died as the result of their own deflected laser fire than were slain with the saberstaff itself. At the conclusion of the conflict, the officers were all dead and none of the station's systems had been seriously damaged. All about the smoke-filled bridge, the evidence of his assault floated lifelessly.

Deactivating the dreadful weapon, Luke turned to R2-D2, and said, "Seal all hatches and re-pressurize the station. Use a display to show me the locations of any survivors."

Almost unbelievably, there were some. None of them however were in very good shape, despite having somehow succeeded in reaching their emergency facemasks. It was a simple matter to hunt them down and eliminate them. After he had jettisoned the bodies, Luke used his com-link to have R2-D2 restore gravity throughout the Star Killer.

The silence of the empty corridors was ominous as Luke made his way back to the bridge. With gravity now restored, his were the only footfalls to be heard anywhere inside the station. But it was almost like he could somehow still hear the echoing screams of all the men he'd just slaughtered while they pleaded for their lives. The duty stations stood accusingly vacant as if testifying against him by their very presence. And every once in a while he'd come across spatters of blood from arterial spray that had issued forth before the fatal cut was completely cauterized; abhorrent evidence of his cruel strokes with the saberstaff. They stood in stark contrast to the pristine surfaces all around them, as if the spotlessness of the new station existed for the sole purpose of showcasing the proof of his carnage. His mood was therefore quite fey by the time he made it back to the bridge. There was still the small matter of a helpless star system to mercilessly demolish.

From his vantage point in the netherworld of the Force, Anakin watched the debacle unfold. He had not shared with his son the specifics of the massacre on Mustafar, so the comparison was obvious only to him. Although he had already been at the center of the bloodbath at the Jedi Temple, the slaughter of the Separatists had truly transformed him. And now, Luke was preparing to unleash for the very first time the primary weapon of the Star Killer. Anakin had been onboard the first Death Star the only time a planet had been destroyed with either station's weapon system. It was as if his son was now following in his fateful footsteps, and his was not an example to be emulated. He wished there were some other way to accomplish the objectives that the situation had necessitated.

"Calculate a course to the Rishi Maze and bring the implosion-inducer online," Luke said to R2-D2. "As soon as you're ready to initiate the hyperdrive, fire on the Kaminoan sun."

Only moments later, the Star Killer unleashed the devastating stream of implosion-inducing particle beams that were its namesake; and immediately afterward, it made the jump to hyperspace. For Luke, the result of the assault was only instantly observable on the subspace scanner. He knew it would be years before the star's destruction could be seen from the neighboring systems. First, they would see the ominous flash. The shock wave would follow closely. Once that had passed by, there would just be a dark spot in the sky where a star had once burned.

It occurred to Luke to wonder how many ships might already have been on course for Kamino. They would have even less hope of avoiding an emergence into disaster, as they entered normal space, than the crew of the _Millennium Falcon_ had enjoyed as they came upon the annihilation of Alderaan. Once a hyperspace jump had been initiated, no navigational updates could be received. All transmissions were interrupted as a result of faster-than-light travel. Hopefully, any additional victims would be Imperial in nature, and the pilots of any civilian ships would check for updates before embarking on a Kaminoan course. That would minimize the non-military losses. At least, this was Luke's hope. The cosmos was constantly being scanned. Prudent navigators would account for changes.

Subspace scanners would alert the space-faring mariners to the abrupt alteration in the celestial sea through which they sailed. Its impact on the continuum would also help to hide the Star Killer's passage from any deep space scans, giving Luke the opportunity to carefully consider the station's next course. While the Rishi Maze would afford a good place for him to regroup and draw up his final battle plan, what he really needed was to find a corner of the cosmos that would offer him some advantage when it came time for him to engage the Imperial Fleet.

He needed to discover such a location just as quickly as possible. Part of their plan was to also draw the Clone Emperor away from Coruscant, so Leia could complete her objective without risking a direct confrontation. Luke could not do this while hidden. His assignment now, at least as far as he understood it, was to establish a highly defensible position and actually advertise his presence there. He was grateful for the resources of both his astrodroid and the station's navicomputer, which was still incidentally displaying the shuttle's course to the Utapau system.

Something about that destination seemed auspicious to Luke. He knew it was where Obi-Wan had eventually eliminated General Grievous, the leader of the Droid Army. And it may also have been the very first place where the Clone Army had turned against one of the Jedi. But he sensed that there was something of far more immediate significance to the location. For some reason it made him think of Leia, although they had not talked about the Separatist systems that it would be most advantageous for her to visit. But he felt that there was some other component, something that might even prove essential to their desperate operation. However, its identity eluded him. He had much more pressing matters on his mind, and he was already having difficulty focusing on the near-at-hand.

He considered communing with his mentors and asking them what his next course of action should be; but, having just destroyed an entire star system and its compliment of unsuspecting inhabitants, he did not think that he could handle an encounter with the Council. A vague sense of numbness seemed to have engulfed him. He did not want to do anything that might cause it to relent. He did not want to have to face his feelings. He only wanted to retreat. At a speed beyond even that of light, this is precisely what he did.

As he instructed R2-D2 to reconnect to the Star Killer's central system, explaining what he now needed to do, Luke's eyes continued to return to the screen that displayed the readout from the subspace scanners. The cloning facilities, essential to the Empire's power, were now gone. The ships that had defended those important possessions were also destroyed. But one of the wisest races in the galaxy had been exterminated as well. The question was almost audible: _At what point do the ends no longer justify the means_?


	2. Chapters 3 and 4

**Chapter Three: Warrior Princess for the Republic**

The Alliance abandoned Endor almost as soon as Luke left. No one in the Imperial Fleet was aware of the Ewoks or their assistance to the rebels; so if they returned to find no trace of technology on the forest moon, there would be no reason to waste the kind of firepower that would be required to strafe its surface. The most effective way the Alliance could repay the indigenous inhabitants was to immediately depart, as admittedly difficult as it was for the rebels to say goodbye to their furry friends. The Ewoks were particularly distraught to be losing both C-3PO and Leia, but the protocol droid was ultimately able to explain the situation to their sorrowful satisfaction; after which, they stood along the edge of the clearing and watched the _Millennium Falcon_ streak into the dust-strewn sky.

All the leaders of the Alliance had discussed at length what they thought the Rebel Fleet's most immediate objective should be. It was clear that they could not go directly to Coruscant. The bulk of the Imperial Fleet had fallen back to the core systems. They also needed to be certain to allow time for the Clone Emperor to leave. Princess Leia advised taking a detour to some of the Outer Rim worlds of the Old Republic, no small number of which had become secession-minded now that the Empire was falling apart. If she could only convince them to aid in reunification, once the Clone Emperor had been eliminated, the probability of putting the Republic back together would be very greatly improved. She therefore recommended that the Rebel Fleet set its initial course for the politically pivotal Utapau system. It was decided however that they should execute several point-to-point jumps first, just to be certain they could not be tracked to their destination.

Training aboard ship took on a far different tone than the unrestricted routines Leia had enjoyed on the forest moon of Endor. Levitation and other disciplined applications of telekinesis, like the operation of electronic locks, were emphasized. Yoda rewarded her waywardness with the previous remote by instructing her to assemble another. This one had enhancements that made it much more formidable than its predecessor. Even if she was not particularly pleased at the increase in its abilities, she knew it was important that she gain experience with her lightsaber. Despite her unmistakable skill, Han hardly ever entered the room while she was practicing. Unquestionably nervous about the new set of circumstances, within which their relationship was now precariously couched, he jokingly claimed to be afraid of the remote.

As the fleet emerged from hyperspace, Leia joined Han on the bridge of the _Falcon_. He and Chewbacca were steadfastly studying the scanner screen. She was stunned to realize that she could actually feel their apprehension, but she still could not discern its source. Han turned as he became aware that she had entered the cabin.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Luke's A-wing just entered the system," he replied, frowning. "But I don't think he's on it. For some reason, it's loaded with passengers. But it looks like they're women and children, all except for one adult male. The life sign readings are wrong. It's not Luke."

Translating Chewbacca's growling inquiry, Han asked, "How did his shuttle come to be in the hands of these people?"

"They're refugees from the Star Killer," Leia intuitively replied. "He saved their lives."

"If you want me to, I think I can follow them in without making it look too obvious," he thoughtfully suggested. "If they came from the Star Killer, they just might have some kind of information that could somehow help us."

"Very good idea," she replied, flashing him a smile. "But you'd better advise the rest of the fleet to hold here, until we've landed. If we all come in right behind the shuttle, the pilot might panic and head back into hyperspace. And we need to talk to these people."

Han and Chewbacca were both reminded of their nervous attempt at a casual flyby of the bridge of an Imperial Command Ship as they had been making their approach to Endor. They were careful to angle their descent so it looked like it was coincidental that they were in proximity to the shuttle. Although he deliberately did not voice his concern, it occurred to Han that he might have to rush to the shuttle's defense. There were some other ships in orbit, and it was anybody's guess how they would react to the obviously Imperial visitor. No one interfered however and the shuttle was allowed to land.

Neither the _Millennium Falcon_ nor any of its crew had even been to Utapau before; but, as it happened, the Wookiees of Kashyyyk had traded with its inhabitants. For this reason, it was Chewbacca who made the request for landing clearance, and it was very graciously granted. They sat the ship down on a platform that was one level above and only slightly to the side of the one where the shuttle had landed, and well within sight of its disembarking occupants. Since he had found no appropriate alternate, Major Eisley was still in his Imperial attire. He drew understandable stares from all the attendants.

"We'd better get down there before somebody decides it wasn't such a good idea to let them land," Han said, strapping on his blaster. "There must not have been anything to change into on the shuttle. He has to know that uniform isn't going to win him any friends around here. Chewy, grab the duffle out of that overhead storage compartment. I'm sure there's something in there that'll fit him."

Slinging his crossbow, Chewbacca growlingly complied. Soon, the trio was headed towards the hatch. C-3PO appeared very disappointed when General Solo instructed the protocol droid to stay on the vessel, but then obediently remained at the top of the ramp. As Chewy and Han exchanged salutations with the platform's petite attendants, each of whom industriously issued forth to greet them, Leia nonchalantly strolled to the edge of the landing pad.

It was clear that some kind of confrontation was very swiftly developing between the shuttle's overdressed commander and the official-looking individual that had just arrived on the scene, ostensibly at the request of the attendants. The voices echoed up from the precipitous platform, and Leia found that she was actually able to overhear every word.

"You identified yourself as a refugee vessel. But this is an Imperial shuttle, and you are obviously a high-ranking Imperial officer," the dignitary declared. "You were allowed to land under false pretenses. We are prepared to tolerate no Imperial trickery. Explain yourself!"

"Our communications equipment was essentially destroyed," Eisley honestly replied. "My only option was to signal with the ship's onboard beacon. Since my passengers are women and children, and we're all seeking asylum, I didn't think there was any pretense involved in identifying us as a refugee ship. I'm not here as an Imperial representative. I am unarmed and, as far as I'm concerned, decommissioned. Your world is renowned as a sanctuary. Please do not send us away. We have nowhere else in the galaxy to go."

"The women and the children can stay. It would go against our custom to turn them away," the dignitary replied. "But you and your Imperial ship must leave this system. This matter is not open to further discussion. Go now."

As he concluded his declaration, the dignitary gestured toward two battle droids that had followed him onto the platform. Leia recognized the pair from holographic recordings she had been shown as a child. She had not been aware that any were still in operation. They moved menacingly toward the uniformed man. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, hoping to yet be heard.

"But one of them is my wife!" he imploringly announced to the dignitary, who already had turned his back and started to walk away. "Do your customs allow you to force me to leave her here?"

Spinning abruptly, the dignitary icily replied, "If you will take one, then you must take them all. Either do that, or leave now; otherwise, you will be shot and your ship turned to untraceable scrap."

Eisley had not anticipated such an impasse. He could think of no other place where he was sure his charges could be kept safe, but he could not simply abandon his wife. At the very least, she needed to be given the opportunity to make the choice. But the battle droids had already interposed themselves between him and his spouse who, because of helping to reassure the nervous children, had only just become aware of the seriousness of their situation. Eisley hesitated, and Leia realized that he had made the lethal mistake. She desperately needed to talk to this man; but, as she saw them raising their weapons, she knew the battle droids were about to eliminate any such possibility. Han looked over at her just as she leaped from the platform.

Ardently intent on drawing the attention of the battle droids away from their intended target, she let loose with a war cry as she plummeted towards the lower platform. It was a leap of which even Master Windu would have been proud. The droids definitely heard her howl. Deploying her lightsaber, while still in freefall, she easily intercepted the laser blasts with which they greeted her. By the time she lightly landed, one warrior robot had already been debilitated by its own deflected fire. She quickly carved its companion into smoldering sections. She then took up a defensive position directly in front of Eisley and deactivated her lightsaber only when she was sure that the confrontation had come to a close.

As the obviously alarmed dignitary stood there quaking before her, she bowed, after the manner of the Jedi Order, and softly said, "Please be at peace, your grace. I am Leia Organa of Alderaan, daughter of Senator Bail Organa, Padawan Princess and twin sister of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. The last time I saw him, my brother was the one piloting this Imperial shuttle. I need to know how this man came to be its captain."

"It was the Jedi who delivered us from the grip of General Grievous and his army of droids, of which we later reprogrammed some. Anyone of that ancient order is therefore a friend of all upon Utapau. I am Chairman Chelingus. I am honored to welcome you to our world," the dignity replied, bowing in return. "And I would be very interested to learn what your questions uncover."

"My name is Londle Eisley," said the man behind her. "Are you really Luke's sister?"

Aiming all her focus upon the mysterious man, Leia turned to confront him, saying, "Yes, I am. And how do you know my brother?"

"I was a junior officer aboard the Star Killer, of which he is now in command," Eisley answered. "When he came back from Kamino, Luke told me that he had been unable to persuade the Prime Minister to order an evacuation, and we were the only lives he could save. By now, I believe he has destroyed that star system."

"Do not attempt to deceive me in this next answer, for honesty is your best and only option," she warned him. "Is your allegiance yet to the Empire?"

"Not anymore," he easily answered. "And I'm willing to help the rebellion in any way I can."

"Please tell me; what precisely changed your mind?" she pressed.

"I saw my superiors, men who had risen up through the ranks, butchered on a whim by a merciless creature that was sent to us as a representative of the Emperor himself," Eisley answered. "Your brother is also quite capable of killing. But he doesn't murder for amusement. And he has deep remorse for life taken as collateral loss. I have served the wrong cause. Perhaps, if I can do something constructive towards the restoration of the Republic, I can eventually learn to live with this realization."

"In precisely what way do you think you can be of assistance," the Chairman asked, seeing the chance to enter the conversation.

"I know every one of the most up-to-date Imperial codes," Eisley replied. "I am also aware of the Separatist systems, where the Empire has almost entirely lost its hold. We were keeping abreast of all the intelligence reports, so we would be able to recommend an appropriate place for the station's commander to demonstrate its firepower. We were actually considering this as one of the most likely candidates. I'm very glad Commander Skywalker had an altogether different agenda, although he never actually explained it to me."

Returning his attention to Leia, Chairman Chelingus said, "We now understand that the reports of the Emperor's death were in error, although the destruction of the second Death Star seems certain. I would take your presence here as an indication that there is yet an organized effort afoot for his removal and the restoration of the Republic. Please, explain to me what has happened and what you and your brother are trying to do."

"The Emperor, Darth Sidious, did die," Leia cautiously replied. "But he'd had himself cloned. It is the clone that is now in control. If my brother has successfully completed the first part of our plan; then he is now in control of a weapon more powerful than the Death Star, and the cloning facilities in the Kamino system, secret and otherwise, are no more. No other Storm Troopers will be supplied nor will there be a replacement for Palpatine's clone once he's been killed. Luke intends to lure him away from Coruscant, eliminating as much of what's left of the Imperial fleet as possible. We now know that there are yet some Jedi still alive. My mission, once I've enlisted the aid of as many of the Separatist systems as I can, is to go to Coruscant. There, I'll use my father's influence to summon the Senate, and I'll change a transponder code to recall the remaining Jedi to protect it."

"Does your brother really believe he can kill this clone?" Eisley unexpectedly asked. Facing the questioning expressions that were immediately aimed at him, he slowly said, "I have seen a holoprojection of our new ruler. He is much younger. I fear that he is also much more powerful."

"If he somehow survives, it would be suicidal for him to return to Coruscant. Most of his space fleet will be gone, his soldiers will be answering to the Republic, and there will be a small army of Jedi knights with which he would have to contend," Leia said, almost succeeding in sounding as certain as she had intended.

"I see," said the Chairman. His tone was almost condescending, and Leia realized that he was deliberately playing along.

"It's a good plan," offered Eisley in nearly the same tone. "Perhaps it was very rash of me to question your brother's abilities. After all, he certainly made short work of Darth Maul."

At that moment, having of necessity taken the long way down, Han and Chewbacca came rushing out onto the platform. They looked as if they were anticipating trouble, but they quickly lowered their weapons as they saw how calmly everyone was conversing. It did not escape the attention of Eisley or Chairman Chelingus that Han and Leia seemed to automatically move to stand together. One of the women who'd exited the ship earlier took the opportunity to approach Eisley. And everyone instantly understood that she was the wife to which he had referred.

"Everyone, this is Tysha, my wife," he said by way of introduction. The simple act of etiquette seemed to restore a sense of normality to what had been a very tense situation only moments earlier. They went around the semicircle, introducing themselves to each other.

At the end of the introductions, Leia said, "Londle, what exactly did you mean about Darth Maul? I thought Obi-Wan Kenobi killed him on Naboo decades ago, but not before the Sith Lord had slain his mentor, Qui-Gon Jinn."

"We couldn't actually see the duel. Darth Maul shut down all the video transmitters in the room, but we could still hear the audio," Londle explained. "The Emperor must've cloned some of his old apprentices. Darth Maul claimed to have killed the clone of Count Dooku, whoever he was. He also seemed to gloat over the fact that the Clone Emperor, apparently right after his emergence, killed the clone of somebody named Anakin. But I have no idea what that was all about."

From the range of emotions that swiftly played out over the face of the princess, it was clear to Londle that she did. But he wisely elected not to say anything more about it.

"I've been in contract with the leaders of some of the other Separatist systems," said Chairman Chelingus, returning the dialogue to its previous topic. "I believe I can be quite helpful in making some inroads for the restoration of the Republic, at least as far as the Outer Rim worlds are concerned. I would recommend however that you visit Saleucami if at all possible. Your reassurance could go a long way in securing their support. If Cato Neimoidia or Ansion end up along your course to the core, you might stop there as well."

With the break in the conversation, Tysha turned to her husband, asking, "What are we supposed to do? Can you stay here with us now; or, if you want to go and help them, can the other women and their children stay here while I accompany you?"

Londle Eisley looked to the Chairman, who answered, "We'll happily grant sanctuary to any who now ask it or you may go wherever you will. We will also provide fuel for your ships, those on the platforms and those in orbit. We are aware of everything that passes through our system. We know you didn't come alone. I hope however that you will honor us by accepting accommodations for the night. It is almost unimaginable that a Jedi and a Wookiee should both visit us. If I am not allowed to present you to my people, they will never believe my report."

"And I think we can provide slightly more suitable attire for someone presumed to be a refugee," Han said, relieving Chewbacca of the duffel and tossing it at Eisley. "It would be a very good idea not to advertise your previous affiliation with the Empire."

"I doubt if I could've even thought of a better way to adequately describe your dress code," Leia mischievously observed, grinning at the captain of the _Millennium Falcon_.

Chewbacca, in particular, seemed to find her impish comment immensely amusing. He tossed his hairy head back and howled with hilarity. Han simply raised his eyebrows and gestured questioningly at his clothing, as if he could not understand the implications of the insult. Eisley ignored their banter, but Tysha giggled. Chairman Chelingus seemed out of his element as he looked on stoically.

Remembering her manners, Leia turned back to the cordial dignitary and said, "We are most grateful for your hospitality and your offer of assistance. We would be honored to pass the evening in the company of both yourself and your reputable people. Because there may be language barriers and differences in customs, if it would be permissible, I'd like to send for our protocol droid."

"That would be a most commendable course of action," Chelingus replied. "Please summon your other ships. When you are ready, I'll escort you to your accommodations."

The people of Utapau were widely acknowledged as being some of the most affable in the galaxy. It was quickly easy to see why. All the rebels were treated with the utmost respect. Chewbacca and Leia were accorded the receptions of celebrities. Even Londle and his previous passengers were made to feel completely at home.

Considering that the quarters, which they were each assigned, were only intended for the passing of a single night, they were extremely spacious. The guests were treated to a banquet before bedtime, and the selections were easily inclusive enough to assure that everyone found a dish to their taste. Glancing across the gorge, as they dined in the wide-windowed restaurant, they could see the care that was being given to their ships. It was reassuring to know they would resume their mission in freshly serviced spacecraft.

Admiral Ackbar, Lando Calrissian, and Wedge Antilles were seated at the table with the crew of the _Millennium Falcon_. Recognizing the romantic relationship that seemed to be developing between Han and Leia, Lando had elected to accept the Admiral's offer to allow him to serve, at least temporarily, as first officer aboard the flagship of the Alliance, the _Forthright_. He did not want to appear to be interfering in the affairs of his friends.

It is doubtful that Chewbacca misunderstood the intentions of the _Falcon_'s previous owner. Nevertheless, apparently in play, he acted as if he took exception to having been so abandoned, constantly repositioning the condiments so that they were just outside of Lando's reach. Each time General Calrissian attempted to retrieve one of the containers of spice, Chewy would intercept it and offer it to someone else. Lando was forced to ask others to pass him the requested condiments.

Leia felt as if she was seeing the renewal of some old rivalry. She was not sure of its source, but she was certain about the deep friendship that was facilitating the continuous comedy. It was easy for everybody to see that Lando was acting far more frustrated than he actually was. Every time the Wookie outmaneuvered him, he would suspiciously grin; and then, he would affectedly scowl across the table at his furry foe. On occasion, even he could not maintain the parody of disappointment. As the wily Wookie finally resorted to offering the little containers to people at other tables, even Lando finally had to laugh out loud.

Chairman Chelingus was dining with them. Though he seemed somewhat uncertain of the antics that were being executed in front of him, he apparently identified it as some kind of custom with which he was simply unfamiliar. Paying as little attention as possible to the bizarre behavior of some of the table's other occupants; he engaged the obviously more responsible leaders of the Alliance in remarkably courteous conversation. He was particularly interested in learning about Luke.

"Our understanding was that the Emperor had eradicated the Jedi Order," Chelingus said. "We were led to believe that there had been no survivors; though this seemed to be highly improbable to us since we were aware of how resourceful and formidable were its disciples. But as decades went by and there were no reports of any sightings, we feared that it was true. For this reason, we lost all hope for the restoration of the Republic. If the Jedi still exist, it proves that it's the servants of the Dark Side who are blind. But how can this be after all this time?"

"My brother began his training under Obi-Wan Kenobi," Leia replied. "Unfortunately, Obi-Wan sacrificed himself in order to facilitate our escape from the first Death Star. My understanding is that, after we were forced to abandon the Hoth system, Luke then went to some remote world to finish his training under Master Yoda. So it was that he became a Jedi Knight and met Darth Vader in combat on two separate occasions. On the last of these, he was victorious. Darth Vader and the Emperor both died; but using the resource of the Kaminoans again, Emperor Palpatine had already arranged for his replacement."

"But now, the Kaminoans are gone and the Emperor's most recent ultimate weapon has also been confiscated," Chelingus concluded. "Our subspace scanners can't locate their star. It must've been destroyed. This initial strike must be very effectively followed, if we are to save the Republic. I am familiar with both the Jedi Masters you named. I am especially pleased that Obi-Wan initially survived. He freed us from General Grievous."

"He did many great things for the Jedi Order and the Republic," Leia replied, "as well as for my family. I'm glad we can remember him together. And I'm happier still that we've gained you as both an ally and a friend. As sorry as I am to bring this evening to a close, I must now ask that you graciously excuse me. I think it's time for me to retire and make use of the accommodations you've so kindly provided. Goodnight."

Everyone arose as Leia did. Some also excused themselves and followed her out of the spacious banquet hall. Taking her departure as a signal, most of the other rebels did likewise. Several stayed, still immersed in their own discussion. Chairman Chelingus did not. He had many subspace messages to send. Though he had no soldiers to allocate to the cause of the Alliance, he was now determined to lend it all of his skill as a diplomat.

Leia was well aware of Han's desperate desire to speak with her. Leaving the dining hall, she took her time, sauntering down the spacious hallway and feigning nonchalance as she waited for him to catch up with her. As he lightly touched her on the shoulder, she smiled as she turned, acting surprised. He had the look of somebody who had rehearsed what he was going to say and suddenly realized that none of it really worked.

"I'm sure Chairman Chelingus was just trying to appear proper when he assigned us separate quarters," he finally blurted. Seeming to reconsider the implications of so rash a statement, he then concluded, "I mean: I think he understands we're together but he isn't sure if we're married. After all, Londle introduced Tysha as his wife; and so, he quartered them together. We never actually said something about our relationship. But that doesn't mean we can't do whatever we want."

Princess Leia raised her eyebrows in response and Han realized that he had totally failed to phrase his comment correctly, as she innocently inquired, "Whatever we want?"

Over Han's shoulder, Leia saw Lando and Chewbacca emerge from the dining hall. It seemed as if they had elected to at least temporarily suspend their parody, since they were laughing like old friends. As they saw the couple having the discussion, they spun about, as if by silent agreement, and ambled off in the other direction. This was despite the fact that the easiest route to the guest quarters would have taken them right by Han and Leia.

Han was oblivious to the respect bring afforded him by his friends as he summoned the courage to say, "Princess Leia, I've never felt this way about anybody before. And I'd be very honored if you'd share my quarters with me tonight."

"I'm flattered by your invitation, and even more touched by your honesty," she softly said as she slipped her hands into his, facing him directly, "However, before I can even consider such a course, there's a matter I need to get clarification on from my mentors."

"What do you mean?" he asked in reply, shaking his head in confusion. "What is our relationship to them?"

"I didn't even think about this when Luke ask me about the sincerity of my pledge to complete my training," Leia admitted, sounding embarrassed. "I had simply forgotten the Jedi Code and its relational restrictions. The Jedi are considered to be clerics. Therefore, they are forbidden from entering into marriage."

"Your decision to join their ancient society has ended any chance of us finally being together?" he asked, openly aghast, not trying to hide his horror. "That's totally unfair!"

"I'm certain that restoring the Republic and the Order would be worth the sacrifice," she patiently replied. "But I honestly can't see me living in celibacy for the rest of my life. There was, I believe, one exception to the rule. I need to see just how much leeway their bylaws allow. I'll let you know what I find out. Until then, please don't be upset at me. I'm not prepared to sacrifice our friendship, whatever other restrictions might be imposed on us."

Entering her chambers, Leia sought to commune with her teachers. It was unusually difficult for her to clear her mind enough to enable the ethereal interaction. At length, she succeeded. And it was almost as if her question had been anticipated.

"Troubled you are by the commitment you have made," Yoda surprisingly said. "And wondering you are what exceptions are allowed."

"Yes, Master Yoda," she readily agreed, trying to take in stride his capacity for such prescience. "I have only recently recalled that, of old, the Jedi were not allowed to marry. But am not I, myself, the product of just such a union?"

"Discerned correctly you have," Master Yoda carefully agreed. "But married in secret were your father and mother and not with the blessing of the Council. Difficult it is to say whether it would have been allowed, and doubtful at best; for not yet had been bestowed upon Anakin the rank of Master. Expelled from the Order he might well have been."

"And yet, have you considered the end result?" she cautiously inquired. "Were it not for that unlawful union, Luke would not have arisen to help turn his father from the Dark Path and thereby destroy the original Emperor."

"Were it not for that unlawful union, Anakin might not have interfered when Palpatine was defeated by Master Windu," Obi-Wan unexpectedly objected. "He might never have turned to the Dark Side if he hadn't so habitually disobeyed all our instructions. We can't grant license on the basis of past mistakes and their ultimately unknowable outcomes!"

"An answer the question deserves, nevertheless," Yoda interjected, seeing how Leia was crushed by Obi-Wan's overly emotional response. "Not placed upon you was such a restriction by your instructor. Uninformed were you therefore at the very outset. Unwise it might be for us to insist on an end to the linage of the Chosen One. Found a way for it to continue the Force did, despite our ancient edicts. No guarantee is there that any child of yours would grow up to become a Jedi Master, but unjust it would now be to restrict you in ways of which you were not made aware when you made the promise of a Padawan."

"You are as gracious as you are wise, Master Yoda," Leia replied, barely sustaining her self-control. Had she erupted into tears of joy, she was sure it would have ended the session. And she had the impression that there was still much more to be said.

She had met the manifestation of Mace Windu before, but with no actual interaction. When Master Kenobi mentioned him, his wraithlike countenance had suddenly become very clear. And now, he spoke to her.

"I was there when your father made his fateful decision to intercede on behalf of the Supreme Chancellor, who not much later became the Emperor," Windu evenly informed her. "I'd bested Palpatine in a lightsaber duel and was preparing to kill him. Believing the Sith Lord's knowledge was the only way to save your mother, Anakin surprisingly came to his defense, cutting my arm off in the process. Palpatine then unleashed his lightning, hurling me out the window. They never learned that I survived the fall. The ability to leap from great heights was perhaps my strongest forte with the Force. Deflecting Palpatine's lightning must have weakened the crystal in my lightsaber. It was thrown clear. I found it. But it was irreparably damaged. I knew the Temple would soon be attacked; and it would have done no good to return there unarmed, especially when I was already injured."

"What did you do?" Leia asked, breathlessly. "Did you have your arm replaced?"

"There wasn't time. I needed to escape into exile as quickly as possible," he replied. "I was aware of some Jedi candidates who were all staying with their parents at a nearby hotel. They had actually passed their initial screening and were about to be accepted as Younglings. I essentially kidnapped them; and then, I stole a shuttle and took them with me. We finally ended up on a jungle world in the outskirts of the Republic. I trained them. We didn't have a lightsaber between us, nor did we have the materials to make one. But part of their training involved using sword-like sticks to intercept darts from blowguns that we had fashioned for hunting. They did this blindfolded. They're still there. I can give you the coordinates. I'm sure they'll help in any way they can."

"Why didn't Yoda know about this?" Leia asked, obviously confused. "Luke told me that Master Yoda had called him the last of the Jedi."

"I didn't know that either he or Obi-Wan had initially survived," Windu replied. "I was still alive, so I couldn't commune with either of them. And I had not been instructed in the technique for such communication. Even after Obi-Wan sacrificed himself to assist in the escape from the first Death Star, I was out of the loop. Perhaps if he'd have been aware of me, he could've initiated that contact. But I was in the backwater of the galaxy; and he didn't even know I'd survived, let alone that he should be looking for me. By the time old age finally took me, my trainees were fully-fledged Jedi Knights. But they still don't know what to do with their skills. They would respond to your summons, but they are unarmed and have no vessel. It would be best if you'd collect them on your way and try to provide whatever weaponry you may."

Windu gave Leia the coordinates of the world where his trainees could be found. He also told her their names. The next morning, everyone assembled again for breakfast.

When he was told that there was room aboard the _Falcon_ for he and his wife, Eisley insisted on allowing the shuttle to be turned over for scrap. Proceeds from the sale of its parts, he said, could pay for the expense of providing for the widows and their fatherless children.

"Imperial transport will probably be outdated soon, perhaps even dangerous to use," he said. "But the parts themselves are all state-of-the-art and could be adapted for use in other vehicles. You should have some kind of compensation for all your kindness."

"Thank you," Chairman Chelingus replied, bowing. "We were pleased to provide for your party. But we're also happy to relieve you of such an unsightly ship if your need for it has indeed expired. But I also have something to send with the Padawan Princess, for we certainly have no need for such renowned weapons as these."

To Leia's immense surprise, the Chairman revealed a collection of four lightsabers, saying, "General Grievous lost these in combat with Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was not able to return and collect them. If the Jedi Order is about to be reborn, these weapons could be pressed again into their appropriate service. Please accept them. And may the Force be with you and your esteemed enterprise. For my part, I will do what I can to help in the restoration of the Republic. Farewell now, my friends."

Leia accepted the lightsabers from Chairman Chelingus, bowing after the manner of the Jedi. It hardly seemed coincidental to her that there just happened to be as many of the highly esteemed weapons as there were potential recipients, trained by Mace Windu. She had told all the leaders of the Alliance about her communion with him, including the coordinates of the world where his protégées could be found. They had calculated that it was located beyond the planet that the Chairman had most strongly urged them to visit.

As the _Millennium Falcon_ and the other rebel spaceships all left the landing platform and soared up the shaft into the alien sky, Han hesitantly turned to Leia, who was seated beside him in the cockpit, and said, "I wonder just what we'll be getting ourselves into on Saleucami."

Chewbacca growled in agreement.

Indicating the full reading on the fuel gauge and the four lightsabers, which she had inspected with satisfaction, Leia thoughtfully replied, "Whatever we run into, I would have to conclude that we're already in better shape than we were when we left Endor. I'm not too worried about any diplomatic dilemmas; I've been dealing with those all my life. The thing that concerns me most is what we'll run into on Coruscant."

"Hey now," Han softly replied. "We're a long way from that part of the plan. And you know everybody in the Alliance is here to help you. It'll be okay. You'll see. I suppose I'll have to get out of my refugee clothes before we get to the Jedi Temple though."

"You heard that, huh? You'll be fine," she said, flashing her pirate smile at him. And then, leaning over and nudging the co-pilot, she said, "It's Chewy I'm worried about. Can we maybe curl his hair or something?"

As Chewbacca shied away from her, looking altogether uncertain as to how serious she might really be, Han replied, "If you'll hold your lightsaber on him, I guess I could try. Better yet, maybe you should use a couple of those new ones too. Have your phantom teachers showed you how to hold one in your mouth yet?"

"I don't know if that's really a recommended technique," Leia laughingly answered. When Chewbacca gurgled something in reply, she gasped at him for a moment before turning to Han and exasperatedly asking, "Did he just say what I think he said?"

"Yup," Han grinningly agreed. "You'd probably put the wrong end in your mouth!"

"I see how it is!" she said, feigning offense. Pretentiously pouting, she then rose and backed out of the cockpit, saying, "I'll bet Londle and Tysha won't treat me like you two."

"Yeah, right," Han grinningly agreed, cocking his jaw as he turned and smiled at her retreating form. "As long as they don't catch you picking your teeth with your lightsaber!"

As she made her way aft, Leia wittily wondered what kind of reconstructive surgery such an attempt would end up requiring. She found the Imperial ex-officer and his wife in the company of C-3PO. She had told the protocol droid to bring the couple up to date on everything that had happened so far. She did not really know how best to use the access that Eisley and his codes could potentially give them to Imperial equipment and facilities. But as intelligent as their newfound ally was, it seemed most reasonable to give him the necessary information to make such recommendations himself.

As Leia entered the cabin, the protocol droid's narrative abruptly paused and Eisley asked, "So, it was actually your strike team that brought down the force field and made it possible for the Alliance to destroy the second Death Star? And that was before you had even started training as a Jedi?"

"We had some unexpected help or we'd have never succeeded," she humbly said in reply. And then, she asked, "But do you have any ideas about how you can possibly help us?"

"I could tap into every Imperial probe or relay droid along our course and use them to gather information," he answered. "If we find there's a part of the fleet anywhere near our objective, I could also use a more distant one to fake a distress signal to draw them away."

"That's certainly a good suggestion!" she appreciatively agreed. "I was thinking we might have to use your codes to seize control of their shields if we happened to come up against a Corellian cruiser. But it would be far better to avoid any such confrontations."

"I can also get us access to automated Imperial refueling stations, but we probably won't need that for awhile," he added. "Our friends on Utapau sent us on our way very well supplied."

"Do you think there's even a chance of Luke needing to use any such stations?" she asked. When Eisley paused to consider the question, she carefully continued, "If not, we might be able to turn them against their users; that is, if you have the required expertise to rig them to blow up, and you'd be okay with helping us to indiscriminately destroy any Imperial ships that attempted to use them."

Eisley looked to Tysha, who slowly nodded in agreement, before he finally replied, "I'm okay with helping you in such a fashion. But I would advise you to be certain there really are Imperial ships in the selected area. Most of the fleet has been recalled to the Core systems. Smugglers have been known to hack into those facilities. You could end up blowing away potential allies."

Leia looked back over her shoulder toward the cockpit, before saying, "You're right. It's probably not worth the risk to the locals. And I suppose it's even likely that they'd be exposed to the retribution of any surviving ships since the Imperial officers would almost certainly assume someone in that system or its nearest neighbors to be responsible."

"Yes, I'm afraid that's correct," Eisley agreed. "I know that's what I would do."

Leia aimed all of her intuitive abilities at the extremely complicated man before her as she replied, "Thank you for your candor and your suggestions. I am certainly open to more if you should come up with any."

"I am very situational when it comes to tactics," he honestly admitted. "I may be able to be of more assistance as our situation alters. Our eventual destination is Coruscant, if my understanding is correct. Depending on what the conditions are when we get there, I may be able to help us obtain clearance to land."

"I'll keep that in mind," she smilingly replied. "Is there anything either of you need?"

"No, thank you," Tysha responded, seeing a chance to enter the conversation. "Your droid has been taking very good care of us. But from what he said, I think he's missing a companion."

Turning to the robot, Leia reassuringly said, "3PO, we all miss R2. But I'm very glad he's with Luke. That's our best chance of getting them both back."

"I couldn't agree more, Princess," the droid replied. "I do hope however that we don't find ourselves needing his abilities as a mechanic. After all, he's much better at patching things up than I am. I'm really just an interpreter and not very mechanically inclined."

Understanding the protocol droid's reference to previous problems with the _Falcon_, and not wanting to worry their guests, Leia replied, "The technicians on Utapau cleared all the ships of the Alliance for space flight, 3PO. There's absolutely no reason to worry."

"I'm sure you're right," the robot agreed. Seeing the concerned faces of the couple, the protocol droid then surprised Leia by adding, "It's just that I really hate space flight."

Tysha stifled her laughter, uncertain as to whether the admission had been for their amusement. Her husband raised his eyebrows questioningly, but Leia simply smiled. At the very least, she thankfully thought, any uncertainty about their safety aboard the ship had just been alleviated. She decided it was high time for her to get back to her training.

"If you will please excuse me, I need to return to my exercises," she said to the pair, bowing in the manner of the Jedi.

"Is it okay if we watch?" Tysha cautiously inquired. "I saw what you did to that pair of battle droids. I'd be honored if you'd allow us to observe your exercises."

"If it pleases you to see a simple Padawan practicing, you're welcome to watch me," Leia replied, being as transparent as possible with her false humility. Tysha smiled at her jest as she candidly concluded, "This is the largest compartment on the ship; so, I pretty much have to practice here anyway. But there's a technical station in the far corner. The two of you can move over there. Once we drop out of hyperspace, Londle, you can use it to access all the automation along our course."

Accepting her suggestion, the couple moved to the far corner while Leia readied the remote. None of them knew that they were seated in exactly the same place from which Han had watched Luke's first session with a remote under the guidance of Obi-Wan.

Tysha's attention never deviated from the duel between the Padawan Princess and her unrelenting remote. After seeing the fearsome fashion in which Leia had dispatched the battle droids on the landing platform, it was enthralling to watch her train. It seemed strange to Tysha however that the laser blasts from the remote simply dissipated upon their intersection with the intercepting blade of the lightsaber. The blasts from the battle droids had been deflected. As Leia was exchanging her weapon for another, for she put each of the four recovered weapons to the test, Tysha found an opportunity to ask about it.

"The energy bursts from the remote are far less powerful just in case it manages to slip a shot through my defenses," Leia replied. "But its emissions pack much more of a charge than the last one, which I foolishly destroyed. I think my instructors were getting even with me by having me upgrade this one the way they did."

"Yes," Londle interjected. "I was meaning to ask you about that. I had assumed your brother was training you. But isn't it highly unusual for the Padawan and the Jedi Master to separate like you have?"

"Others have assumed the responsibility for my instruction," Leia replied. "Although they are disembodied, having transformed into the Force, the essence of who they once were yet remains. The lives of self-sacrifice, which the Jedi altruistically live, allows their spirits to survive. But the Sith are all about the immediate and their gratification therein. As I understand it, those who've turned to the Dark Side experience no such continued cohesion. Their end is unknown."

Returning to her questions about the ancient weapons, Tysha asked, "Why are the lightsabers different colors?"

"My brother explained that to me," Leia answered. "The blade-like beam is created by passing energy through a special crystal. The character of the crystal determines the color. I believe that some lightsabers employ more than one of these crystals, making it possible to adjust their length."

"Darth Maul had a saberstaff that could emit blade-like beams from either end," said Londle. "Your brother has it now. Both blades are the same color. It was damaged in the duel, and he challenged us with repairing it. I saw one of the crystals, to which you refer, while the technicians were working on it."

Speaking from the technical station in front of Londle, Han Solo's voice announced, "According to plan, the fleet has dropped out of hyperspace just outside the Saleucami system. We're beginning our long-range scanning."

"Londle is going to use his codes to access any Imperial droids in the system to see what they can tell us," she informed him. Turning to the ex-officer, she said, "Okay, work your magic."

Eisley had only been busy for a few moments when he said, "There are a number of ships in close proximity to the primary planet. Some are Federation ships; but three are Imperial cruisers. There's open conflict. The Imperial ships appear to be leaving. Two of them are under attack. Strangely, the third one hasn't been engaged. Wait a minute."

Leia and Tysha looked on uneasily. While they waited, Leia took the opportunity to inform the other leaders of the Alliance of what was happening. Then, everyone waited to see if Londle would be able to give any kind of an explanation for what they were all observing. Tysha, in particular, watched Londle's face as he focused on the readouts.

"There's been an abduction. Prefect Otabutu has been taken prisoner," Londle said. "That's why the other Imperial ship isn't being attacked. It's where he's being held. If they make the jump to hyperspace, there will probably be no catching them. Any attempt at a rescue must be immediate."

"We've accessed your console and are hyper-accurately calculating the positions of every ship in the area," Han replied. "We'll all hit the hyperdrive again and then drop out right in front of the cruisers. That'll certainly slow them down. But I'm not really sure how putting our entire fleet in harm's way is going to help us get the Prefect back. We'll have to board that third ship. Its landing bays are ray-shielded. We'd have to heavily damage that cruiser in order to bring down those shields, and we'd be putting the Prefect at risk."

"Han, when the _Falcon_ was being serviced at Cloud City, they replaced your escape pods, didn't they?" Leia unexpectedly asked.

"Yes," Han automatically replied. But then, he worriedly inquired, "Why do you ask?"

"You've got to get the fleet in front of those cruisers before they can make the jump to hyperspace. I'll take care of the rest," she enigmatically answered.

"I knew you were going to say that," he replied. "Strap yourselves in! Here we go!"

Moments later, the commanders of the three Imperial cruisers were stunned to see the entire Rebel Fleet materialize directly in their flight path. Evasive maneuvers carried them off course from their intended jump into hyperspace. But while they were all quickly recalculating, they unleashed their impressive armament on the rebels. In order to avoid such massive firepower, most of the ships of the blockade were forced to disperse.

"We're not going to be able to hold them long!" Han shouted. "Whatever you plan to do, it better be quick!"

"Their main threat is from our larger cruisers," Leia replied. "They're not too worried about something our size. Line yourself up with the ship where the Prefect is being held and make a run for their nearest landing bay. Escape pods are deliberately designed to pass through ray shields. That'll get me on the ship. I'll have to figure out how to get off after I've rescued Prefect Otabutu."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Han objected as his outrage caused the speaker to distort, but Leia was already on her way to the escape pod.

"I'm in escape pod one," she announced as she slipped into its tiny confines. "Don't bank away until you're sure you can put me right in the landing bay. Then, have the fleet help you target their hyperdrive. If they make the jump with me onboard, you're going to have to try to follow them. I'll get to the Prefect. Don't' worry about that, but it will all have been for nothing if I'm light-years from here with nobody to pick us up. That's your job."

"Oh great. Thanks a lot. I knew you were going to say that too!" Han complained.

To the gunners onboard the Imperial cruiser, the _Millennium Falcon_ appeared to be angling away. Han was easily wily enough to know that the landing bay in the belly of the sprawling ship would offer the most accessible target. Slicing down into the space below the oncoming cruiser, he then pulled up and put the nose of the _Falcon_ on a dangerous collision course with the massive vessel's underside. He instantly saw that it was sealed. But he also knew that Leia was right. Imperial safeguards would automatically force it to open and receive the escape pod. This was the one weakness in the Imperial armor.

Although it seemed like a lifetime ago, Han was abruptly reminded of Luke's strafing run on the first dreaded Death Star. There was no more room for error in this maneuver than there had been back then. If he hit the mark, the cruiser's ray shields would receive the escape pod and assure it a gentle landing; however, if he missed, Leia would almost certainly die. Despite Chewbacca's agitated growling, he put the escape pod right where it needed to go. But then, he barely avoided a collision with the cruiser. As his desperate maneuver kept his craft from making catastrophic contact, his speed also swept him out of the gunners' sights. The lines of laser blasts could not overtake his daredevil turn.

As the escape pod came to rest, carefully caught by the emergency automation, the voice of Londle came over its speaker system, saying, "Leia, take a quick glance at your monitor, it now shows the location of the Prefect's holding cell. They don't know we have this information; and I doubt they'd try to move him, even if they found out, since they're still prepping for the jump to hyperspace. If you'll keep your com-link open, I'll try to give you as much assistance as I can in circumnavigating their security systems. I may even be able to route some of your reception committee to wrong areas. They'll believe such orders, since they don't know that you know where you're going."

Popping the hatch, she activated her lightsaber as she leapt out and into the landing bay. Her arrival had not gone unnoticed. She was fired upon as soon as she emerged. It was an assembly of very startled Storm Troopers whom she slew, each with the ricochet of his own weapon. In the sudden silence, Londle told her that the ship's internal sensors were now tracking a ghost image, programmed by him, and it was headed in exactly the opposite of her intended direction. Becoming a blur, she hurriedly left the landing bay.

The entire Rebel Fleet converged on the cruiser as Leia was boarding it. The large vessels drew the enemy's fire, while the small ships all tried to target the dreadnaught's hyperdrive. The other cruisers closed on the conflict, attempting to intercede on behalf of the beleaguered behemoth. This drew them off their intended trajectory into hyperspace. The Separatist ships took advantage of the fact that their quarry had elected not to flee from the fight, engaging the cruisers again as they maneuvered toward the Alliance and its onslaught. Attempting to aid the ship with the hostage had entailed a surprise penalty.

With her lightsaber in one hand and a blaster in the other, Leia rapidly raced through the cruiser's corridors. Her superhuman speed was induced by her focus of the Force. It was very hard for the soldiers, whom she encountered, to take effective aim against her expeditiously altering location. She was barely more than a blur. Her scintillating strokes intercepted any laser blasts that came close, and the discharges from her own weapon each found their intended target. She swept through their attempted deterrent like some kind of storm inside the ship, whose wind was unrelenting and whose bolts could all kill.

Bombarded by laser blasts, the _Millennium Falcon_ led the assault of the small ships. Almost all of the systems that were associated with the cruiser's hyperdrive were entirely internalized. The only part of such circuitry that was routed along the skin of the gigantic craft was near the engines. There were also far fewer gun placements at the rear of the cruiser. By comparison, blistering batteries of blasters defended the ship's bridge, which was the only other place where its interstellar prolusion system could be interrupted. As the rear batteries tried to take aim against the craft that flew with the _Falcon_, other ships engaged the gun placements. Rogue Squadron, commanded by Wedge Antilles, swept in to keep the cruiser's fire off their friends. It was risky tactic, but options were limited.

Avoiding the business end of the battleship, the ships of Han's squadron all focused their aim aft. There was no danger of the cruiser responding by launching its fighters, not unless they boldly abandoned the idea of escaping into hyperspace. But the dangerously radioactive discharge, which was being ejected by the engines, could be just as lethal as a laser blast. If the shields of one of the smaller ships were to malfunction in this area, its occupants would almost immediately be irradiated to death.

By employing his understanding of Imperial codes, Eisley had managed to hack into the cruiser's security systems and keep most of the interceptors away from Leia's actual route. Her ultimate objective however was not unknown. It was therefore impossible for her unseen accomplice to redirect the forces that had assembled there to repel her. And by attempting to do so, he made the onboard technicians aware of his efforts. He quickly found that his access had been cancelled. Banging his hands on the console, he swore.

As he used her com-link to explain this extremely distressing development to Leia, he also described the last known positions of the forces arrayed against her. If she could keep her opponents from encircling her, while she affected the Prefect's escape, it would be much easier to withdraw with her charge. Needless to say, he would be unable to flee with anything like his savior's speed. Eisley advised her to make directly towards one of the cruiser's outlying corridors just as soon as she had the Prefect in tow. His hope was that this would minimize any opportunity for the Storm Troopers to surround them.

"I'd suggest you select a corridor on the cruiser's underside," he continued. "We still have no plans for your extraction. Therefore, it might be best to head back to the landing bay. You might encounter an escape pod along the way. But don't abandon ship without alerting us to your intentions. If we're not prepared to run interference and retrieve you, it goes without saying that the cruiser's gunners will blow the two of you into space dust."

"Sounds like the name of a perfume," Leia mused aloud, the adrenaline of exertion inducing the unusual remark. "Okay, gotta go. I'll hit you back once I've got the Prefect."

For the first time, and surprising even herself, Leia wished that she had done some practicing with multiple remotes. There was a quite discouragingly substantial assembly of Storm Troopers situated right between her position and that of her ultimate objective. Boldly abandoning the concealment of the corner, she stepped around the obstacle and overtly revealed herself to the soldiers. Their startled hesitation made it possible for her to squeeze off the first few shots. By the time the rest could respond, her lightsaber was already oriented to intercept their radiant rounds. She could only hope they had not been ordered to execute the Prefect if they were unable to prevent his escape. Assassination certainly did not seem as if it would offend any of the cloned killers now confronting her.

Holstering her sidearm, but keeping her lightsaber between herself and the surviving soldiers, she said, "If you'll drop your weapons and retreat, I'll have no cause to kill you."

It was a gallant gesture, but none of the Storm Troopers were going to be the first to endure the shame of accepting the offer; either they had to unilaterally surrender or none of them could. Though the opportunity being extended to them was an honest one, since Leia had no desire to kill needlessly, it was almost as if she had taunted them instead. It was not possible for them to collectively act in complete contradiction to their orders, nor was it advisable for any of them to so much as appear to be entertaining the idea. Since they knew of no other appropriate response, in spite of their injuries, they attacked.

In a matter of lightsaber-swinging moments, she had decimated all that remained of their ranks. Maneuvering around the slain soldiers, while also substantiating the absence of any survivors, she purposefully strode to the keypad beside the doorway and entered the security code. Eisley had already determined the correct cipher and reported it to her before he lost his access to the cruiser's security systems, and the technicians had failed to realize that they needed to reprogram the code.

As the door slid aside, she got her first look at the Prefect; indeed, her first look at a being from Saleucami. He was far less humanoid than she had expected. And he looked as if he had been preparing to spring upon whoever opened the hatch to his quarters. As he saw the piled corpses behind her and the blazing blade of her time-honored weapon, he instantly understood that Leia was not an enemy. Surprise was evident even upon his alien features. He was suddenly unsure of how best to react in the unexpected situation.

"Your grace, I am the Padawan Princess Leia Organa, daughter of the Senator from Alderaan; which, alas, is no more. I am here to rescue you. If you can, please come with me as quickly as you can," she said, bowing. As she preformed this ceremonial gesture, she used the Force to levitate an abandoned blaster, from one of the dead soldiers, into the hands of the Prefect. He expertly inspected it, assuring its ability to operate; then, he followed her. Being concerned, quite correctly, about the possibility of the signal from her com-link being used to track her, she informed Eisley that she had the Prefect and would not contact him again until they were about to disembark. Eisley sent acknowledgement, and then relayed the report to the cockpit of the _Millennium Falcon_.

"Admiral," said Han, speaking into his headset. "Leia has the Prefect and is trying to get him off the ship. We've done about as much damage back here as we can, whether we've actually interrupted the circuitry to their hyperdrive or not. I think we need to focus all our firepower on their bridge. If we can take out their control center, they might not be able to respond when the time comes for us to affect the recovery. The Separatist ships are keeping the other two cruisers busy. I don't think we have to worry about any trouble from them. Wedge, get Rogue Squadron out of there! We're breaking off the attack!"

In response to General Solo's recommendation, the Admiral of the Alliance ordered all of his vessels to form up and attack the cruiser's bridge. The smaller ships all came in around the larger of the rebel craft, using them as shields against the cruiser's firepower. The tactic was stunningly successful. Their salvos all reached their intended targets. The bridge, consequently, lost its shield generator and, only moments later, was besieged by a firestorm of laser blasts. The crippled cruiser was left careening, out of control, making it impossible for the gunners to adjust their sights. Multicolored flashes were everywhere.

"Now, if she can just get off that boat before they engage their emergency backups," Han said to Chewbacca, who growlingly agreed. They knew a response was inevitable.

Leia was beginning to question whether she had been overconfident. She now had to defend both herself and her companion from the Imperial weapons. This required her to occasionally flick her lightsaber in front of the Prefect and intercept a laser blast. Even though there was really no chance of her accidentally injuring him in the process, it was natural for him to reflexively respond. As a result, he was constantly breaking stride and slowing them down. They simply were not moving fast enough to evade the pursuit.

They reached one of the outlying corridors along the belly of the cruiser, according to Eisley's previous recommendation. It had been a prudent plan; but their options were now highly limited when it came to evasion and the tactic was apparently anticipated. In increasing numbers, they began to encounter Storm Troopers. Finally, they were forced to take refuge in a service alcove along the side of the hallway. There were troops both in front of and behind their position. Leia and the Prefect put their backs against opposite sides of the alcove and took turns firing shots down the corridor, each in their respective directions. All her efforts had only succeeded in getting them cornered, and only several dozen meters away from an escape pod. She had seen its markers as they were hiding.

As the Prefect was preparing to take his turn, firing down the passage, a laser bolt struck his blaster and blew it apart. The flash blinded them both. The desperation of the situation had reached a crescendo. She knew it would only take a few minutes for their eyesight to recover; but the Storm Troopers, having all seen the flash, would appreciate how disadvantaged was the situation of their opponents. She knew the Imperial forces would now be upon them in moments, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Tossing her own blaster out into the hallway and simulating surrender, though it was actually to prevent any further such misfortune, Leia shoved the Prefect into the back of the alcove, saying, "Stay here and don't move. If the next voice you hear isn't mine, then do whatever it says and accept my most sincere apologies."

Engaging her lightsaber again, which she had deactivated within the confines of the alcove, Leia exhaled sharply, collecting herself. She was not wearing a blast shield, and these enemies were not remotes; but there was only one possibility for winning their way out of the situation. Brandishing her bright blade, she courageously stepped out into the corridor. The Prefect did not even know what was happening until he heard it activate.

Believing their advantage irrefutable, the Storm Troopers were already converging upon the alcove, having abandoned the cover of the nearby corners. Leia's unexpected emergence brought forth a firestorm of laser flashes. Supplely swinging the scintillating lightsaber all around her bobbing body, presenting its interposition to the assassins on either side of her, she deflected their discharges with unbelievably deadly accuracy.

By performing seemingly impossible maneuvers of gravity-defying gymnastics, Leia avoided the laser blasts that could not be intercepted. Consequently, their crossfire was even more dangerous to the soldiers than it was to their intangible target. Smoke issued from inside their punctured suits as the Storm Troopers fell before the emissions of their own onslaught. Finally, they all lay dead. Leia's sight returned just in time for her to see the last one fall. With a newfound respect, she regarded the radiant weapon in her hand.

Scooping up one of the scattered weapons, the Prefect looked around in incredulity and said, "I wish I'd been able to see that. But I'm hoping you are not called upon for an encore."

"There's an escape pod just a little ways down the corridor. I can see the markings," Leia replied. Gesturing at the indicated hatchway, she cordially asked, "Shall we?"

Outside the cruiser, and at the Admiral's orders, the ships of the Rebel Fleet had all moved to enshroud the embattled craft. At his next order, they would divide into groups, according to their individual assignments, and attack its gravity generators. They hoped in this way to further interfere with the Imperial gunners, making it safe for Leia and the Prefect to disembark. As she climbed aboard the escape pod, Leia enabled her com-link to show Eisley where they were. He immediately relayed the report as she also told him that they were about to launch. They all knew this was the most perilous part of the plan.

The assault was successful. The loss of gravity kept the gunners from being able to fix their sights on the escape pod. It was drawn by tractor beams into one of the landing bays on the Admiral's ship. At his orders, the ships of the Alliance disengaged from their campaign against the cruiser, which immediately angled back to its original trajectory, its intended course into hyperspace. The Separatist ships allowed the other two cruisers to do likewise. Achieving their orientation, they leaped into the void before them and quickly disappeared, but the cruiser from which the Prefect had just escaped did not.

Starting at a place just in front of its engines, at the very rear of the ship, fire began to shoot into space. The conflagration quickly worked its way forward, and in less than a minute the entire vessel was an inferno. The ensuing explosion, although unplanned by the extraordinarily surprised saboteurs, was spectacular. Its flaming fragments flew in all directions. Some of its condemned crew tried to flee from the firestorm by making use of the remaining escape pods. But the shock wave overtook them, sundering the seals on the little lifeboats. None of the Imperial forces survived. Leia arrived in the cockpit of the Admiral's ship and used a headset to announce the accomplishment of her mission. She heard Han's voice respond as she watched the cruiser's inadvertent destruction.

"I'm so glad you weren't on that thing when it blew," he emphatically said.

"I'm glad for everything you've done," the Prefect added, flashing what she guessed probably passed for a smile on Saleucami. "Did I hear you say that you are the daughter of Senator Bail Organa?"

"Yes, your grace," she cautiously answered, "although he perished when our planet was destroyed by the first Death Star. And although neither of us knew it until recently, I am also the twin sister of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. He destroyed that Death Star. He was also instrumental in the assassination of the first incarnation of the Emperor."

As the _Forthright_ and the rest of the Rebel Fleet, flanked by Separatist ships, were descending through the atmosphere, he asked, "The first incarnation?"

Leia explained all the nuances of their new situation, stressing their desperate need for support from the leaders of Separatist systems in bringing about the restoration of the Republic. The Prefect was obviously impressed to hear that the Jedi were reforming and that a Jedi Master had already commandeered the Star Killer. To Leia, it seemed as if he regarded the extermination of the Kaminoans as a necessary, although regrettable, loss. He did not even seem doubtful about the possibility of killing the Clone Emperor. In fact, he reminded her that the predecessor had certainly not proven impossible to kill.

Leaning forward and addressing the Admiral, the Prefect said, "Set your course for the capital of Saleucami. The beacon is clearly marked. I will not send you on your way until I have adequately demonstrated my gratitude. We hover before the threshold of a new era, and we must take counsel regarding those first dangerous steps into the new dawn. It has been a generation since the Clone Wars ravaged our world. Nevertheless, we remember the price that was paid for abandoning the Republic. Here now, we have an opportunity to redress an old wrong. I have no doubt that my people will also pledge their support. You would do well to linger with us for a little while. Fear not, we will not keep you overlong. In the end, we shall all take ship together. The report of our rockets will herald the rebirth of the Republic. We who once abandoned all such allegiance will secure the skies of Coruscant, reassuring its citizens. By our fealty, we will restore the friendship of those whom we once forsook."

**Chapter Four: There Goes the Neighborhood**

"R2, we need to get back to finding the self-destruct mechanism," Luke said. "I need to know where it is and how we can possibly gain control of it. We need to be certain the Clone Emperor can't simply destroy the Star Killer at the flick of a switch, but I also want to have that ability myself. Obviously, it has been very carefully hidden. But this'll be your only assignment until I've decided where we need to go next. I'm hoping the Rishi Maze and the shock wave from the destruction of the Kaminoan sun will prevent the reception of any order for self-detonation. Do your best. I'll be communing in my quarters for a little while. Make sure you monitor the scanners for any activity in our sector."

As the astrodroid whistled in understanding, Luke turned and left the bridge. He had misgivings about the upcoming audience since he knew that his mentors would probably condemn what he had just done. Entering his quarters, he dimmed the lights and seated himself. He quickly attained the meditative state from which he could most easily interact with his disembodied instructors.

"Kamino is no more," he said. "There will be no more Storm Troopers, nor will there be any more incarnations of the Emperor. R2 has returned to looking for the self-destruct device. I only hope we can locate it. But for the time being, I have taken us into the Rishi Maze. My hope is that the stellar explosion and our position will prevent the reception of any signal sent to destroy us. As soon as we discover the device and reprogram it, we'll be on our way. But I'm not really sure how it would then be best to proceed."

"Followed in your father's footsteps you have," Yoda sadly summarized. "Eradicated are now the Kaminoans, just like the inhabitants of Alderaan. Doubtful we were that you would actually go through with your scheme, and optimistic we were that you would not. Unable to advise you we now are."

"I'll not have you discourage my son with your cowardly counsel," Anakin railed. "If it had not been for all the dark deeds that I did, I'd have been in no position to assassinate Darth Sidious. My misstep in stopping Master Windu entailed a terrible cost. When Luke abandoned Dagobah in order to impulsively confront me, he put himself on this path; but I at least can counsel him in how to conclude this campaign. To me the next step is quite clear."

"I don't understand," Luke honestly admitted.

"The Star Killer is much more powerful than we feared," Anakin explained. "Stars the size of the Kaminoan sun aren't large enough to create a hypernova; at least, not if they are allowed to expire naturally. By causing the cascade, the Star Killer produces a much more powerful explosion. There are stars in some of the Core systems that, if this station were used against, could start a chain reaction; and more than half of the Republic could be destroyed. If this station were put in close orbit around any of them and defended by whatever remained of the Imperial Fleet, the galaxy could be essentially held hostage. If the battle station were to become irreplaceable, then it'd no longer be expendable. Then, the Clone Emperor won't have any choice but to try and get his doomsday device back."

"If it became irreplaceable," Luke hollowly repeated, echoing the words of his father. "I still don't understand what you're saying."

"The Geonosians developed the plans for both of the Death Stars," Anakin carefully replied. "Now they have created the Star Killer. The automated armies in the Clone Wars were also mostly the product of their droid foundries. Their star system is by far the most heavily defended of any in the Outer Rim. You have an exceptional occasion to eliminate many more ships of the Imperial Fleet while also making the Star Killer irreplaceable. I'm sure their history makes the genocide of the Geonosians justifiable, especially when you consider the abhorrently unacceptable situation that they helped to create."

The look of horror on Luke's face was quite clear, as he emotionally responded, "Do not ask me to do that! Eisley told me things about the cascade event. The exploding star sterilizes space for parsecs. Geonosis is less than a parsec from Tatooine. Bear in mind that I grew up there. I've still got friends living there. And I'm still friends with the families even of those who left. That is not an option! I don't care what kind of advantage it might give! I still haven't figured out how to deal with killing all the Kaminoans! I can't do that!"

"And what fate awaits the families of your friends if the Emperor wins? To what cruel slavery would you thereby consign them instead?" Anakin relentlessly asked. "Geonosis must be destroyed. You must force the Emperor to come to you. If the station can just be replaced, he might elect to destroy it instead."

"My solitary consolation for the destruction of the Kaminoan system was their Prime Minister's insistence that his society was resolute about being responsible for their every action!" Luke angrily countered. "The kind of collateral damage that you're suggesting far exceeds any possible justification. Don't you understand just how much you sound like a Sith Lord?"

"I'm glad you are still able to distinguish how horrible is the course upon which we're now forced," Anakin sympathetically answered. "But having begun in this way, there's no option but to follow through; otherwise, the Kaminoans will really have died for nothing. If you back off now, that sacrifice is rendered senseless. If the Empire endures, decades of death and suffering will follow. Son, it was because of my fear for the loss of your mother that the Emperor was able to manipulate me. Yoda told me I should train myself to let go of everything I feared to lose. I didn't listen. And the cost was incalculable. More so even than you, in that it actually is my homeworld, I'm a son of Tatooine. I know there're good people there. I also know that there's slavery and all kinds of corruption. But this is not a judgment call. I am not saying those people deserve to die. You are cutting off a hand in order to save a soul. Of all people, surely you and I understand that the best."

"That doesn't make it any easier," Luke finally replied, fighting tears.

"It's not supposed to," Anakin agreed. "You must only acknowledge the necessity."

"Tactically, this will be much more difficult than destroying the Kaminoan sun," Luke pointed out. "The Imperial forces in that system were actually expecting me; they had no reason to anticipate trouble. But subspace monitors all over this sector will have already detected that star's destruction. It's not like the Geonosians won't guess what happened. When I unexpectedly show up in their system again, every single ship there will be sent to intercept me. And any I fail to destroy will follow me when I flee, if they're also able to outrun the hypernova. It seems to me that I'll need to eliminate the Imperial ships before I unleash the cascade event. There's a small warship in the landing bay. I could use it to double my assets while leaving R2 in charge of the defensive systems and weapons on the station, all of which are state-of-the-art. But to make this work, I'm really still going to need some kind of advantage. Is there anything in the system that I could use?"

"There's an extensive asteroid field around the main planet," Obi-Wan informed him. "I had a very unpleasant experience there. If you come out of hyperspace close enough, you could use it to hide your deployment of the warship. And if you can possibly knock a few of the bigger rocks out of orbit, it might keep the planet's inhabitants busy enough to prevent them from launching a response of their own. At least, that's what I would do."

"Very well," Luke replied, sighing with resignation. "R2 can set the course. I'll power-up the warship."

"It will take at least a couple of years, even at the speed of light, for the shock wave to reach Tatooine," Anakin reassuringly said. "You could take the opportunity to warn the people of the approaching disaster. The orbital subspace scanners will confirm what you are telling them. As long as they are forewarned, they should have plenty of time to carry out an evacuation. There's no reason that they should all have to die. I'm not asking you to kill them. The planet could be voluntarily depopulated instead."

Brightening, Luke replied, "You're absolutely right. I hadn't been thinking about how long it'll take the shockwave to reach them. As terrible as it sounds to say, I was starting to wonder whether I should be concerned by the fact that the only person supporting my decisions is also the only person who was ever placed on the Council without first being made a Master."

"I've often wondered whether my designation of Chosen One didn't refer just to what I was expected to do but could've also indicated that mine is the only counsel that should be kept," Anakin cautiously suggested. "Consider how differently things might have gone if Master Windu had simply listened to me. Don't doubt, son."

"I have been arrogant and I apologize," Luke sheepishly replied. "I have just been so frustrated with the Council. Thank you. And now if you'll please excuse me, I have things to do."

R2 whistled in surprise when Luke reentered the bridge, but the subsequent burst of informative tones told the Jedi Master that no progress had been made so far in locating the self-destruct device. The astrodroid was admittedly dubious that it even existed, and Luke wondered if the officers might have been intentionally misinformed. Deception was a known tool of the Sith. But he also expected the mechanism, if it really existed, to defy their initial attempts to isolate it. He told R2-D2 to keep looking for it but to also calculate a hyper-accurate course that would put the station very close to the Geonosian asteroid belt and as far away as possible from any Imperial ships in the system.

While the little droid was thus engaged, Luke made his way to the landing bay. Ever since boarding, he had wondered about the capabilities of the craft beside which he had parked the Emperor's shuttle. He had even considered taking it down to Kamino; though it seemed much more appropriate, for diplomatic reasons, to arrive in a less intimidating vessel. His intention had been to at least appear affable, even if he was ultimately trying to scare the Prime Minister into ordering an evacuation. As appalled as he was by what he was about to attempt, he was still excited about seeing what the little battleship could do. Even Jedi Masters, he thought with amusement, are entitled to take a certain amount of enjoyment from their toys.

The codes, which Eisley had given him, included those for operating the warship. In moments, he had activated its onboard instrumentation and run a very thorough systems check. Everything was operational. He quickly discovered that its speed capabilities had been designed to allow it to serve as a lifeboat in the admittedly unimaginable event that the Star Killer created a stellar chain reaction and was then unable for any reason to flee before it. Of course, it would only have facilitated the escape of the officers, not that such a seemingly merciless oversight surprised Luke in the least. But he was troubled to think that he seemed to be considering people as expendable these days as did the Emperor.

R2-D2 signaled to let him know that the requested course had been calculated, and he took the opportunity to explain their new objective to the astrodroid. He needed to be certain that his robotic accomplice was actually up to the challenge of handling the Star Killer's various systems all alone. The attitude of the astrodroid in response to the inquiry can really only be accurately described as exceedingly nonchalant. R2-D2 had operated systems onboard the flagship of the Droid Army, commanded by General Grievous, and the original Death Star. Already possessing the correct ciphers for the Imperial network, the systems of the Star Killer almost disappointingly posed no technological challenge.

Having already taken a short nap, while making the jump to the Rishi Maze, he saw no point in delaying their next offensive any further. It would necessitate the recalculation of their course. After taking several moments to familiarize himself with the configuration of the asteroid belt around Geonosis, making use of the holographic representation that was provided by the battleship's navicomputer, Luke told R2-D2 to initiate the jump into hyperspace. From the warship's cockpit, he then watched as, beyond the ray shields at the end of the landing bay, the stars obediently blurred.

The trip afforded him an opportunity to get a little more rest. Both it and the descent into normal space occurred without incident. But emerging in such close proximity to the asteroid field immediately reminded Luke of the aftermath of Alderaan's annihilation. His breath caught as he recalled those tense moments, some of his first aboard the _Falcon_.

"R2, I'm going to park this ship on the nearest of the larger rocks to mask its signal," he said. "Once I've done that I want you to engage the Imperial forces and then fall back in this direction. As you lead them by, I'll come from behind and catch them between us."

In reality, he had no idea it was a similar ploy that had allowed Obi-Wan to feign the destruction of his ship while in pursuit of Jango Fett in precisely the same location. Luke was thinking only of the situation, described to him by Leia, where Han had attached the _Millennium Falcon_ to some jettisoned junk in order to avoid detection by the squadron of Imperial cruisers. Unfortunately, it was actually as a direct result of this ruse that Jango's son, Boba, whose cunning equaled that of the interstellar smuggler, was able to furtively follow the _Falcon_ and lead Imperial forces to Bespin and the sanctuary of Cloud City.

Expertly maneuvering the little battleship out of the bay, he headed directly towards the most proximate of the planetoids; and, after having secured the vessel to its surface, he powered-down its primary systems. Now in sole control of the Star Killer, R2-D2 sent the station deliberately towards the Imperial ships in orbit around Geonosis. The descent out of hyperspace had not gone unnoticed, but the deployment of the little battleship had not been detected. When their anxious transmissions all went unanswered, the cruisers quickly closed on the assumed invader, whose configuration they recognized with terror.

Emboldened by the ability to rely on the pristine condition of the station's protective shielding and making full use of the dreadnaught's formidable armament, the astrodroid intrepidly engaged the Imperial armada. The cruisers were not caught off guard, but they seriously suffered in that first exchange nevertheless. Interfaced with the station's central computer, R2-D2 had a response time far shorter than that of its humanoid counterparts aboard the cruisers. The targeting scanners of the Star Killer consequently compensated for the rotation that the robot had imparted to the station. This ploy provided its individual shield generators with time in which to alternately recover, without any interruption in the unleashing of its automatically adjusting arsenal, as the battle station spun into combat.

R2-D2 was well aware that this robotic tactic would only remain incredibly effectual until the cruisers could overtake and surround the Star Killer. Suddenly reversing course, just before passing between the leading ships, the astrodroid judiciously sent the station speeding back towards the asteroid belt. To the commanders onboard the cruisers, this undoubtedly looked like a desperate retreat before their combined force. They promptly pursued. Having observed its construction, and understanding its cataclysmic capability, they needed to outmaneuver and eliminate it before it could engage its primary weapon system.

The sub-light engines of the Star Killer were not superior to those of the cruisers. It was therefore not possible for R2-D2 to outpace the pursuit. By sustaining the rotation of the station however the shields were able to alternately rebound from their bombardment by the batteries of Imperial blasters. And this kept the Star Killer from being overcome as it closed on the asteroid belt.

As the station finally reached the uttermost extent of that celestial feature, its robotic pilot caused it to angle around the outer edge. The asteroids instantly became obstacles for the gunners onboard the cruisers as they sought to take aim on their evasive enemy. Consequently, the station's parabolic course appeared only as an easily understandable tactic, not as an artifice. The cruisers therefore followed their fleeing foe right around the outskirts of the asteroid field, absolutely oblivious to the ambush that was awaiting them there.

As the Imperial ships circled around to the other side, their scanners all surprisingly showed that the station had stopped. It had assumed a tactical position hard against the asteroid field, so one side of the Star Killer was unapproachable. This was an extremely unexpected ploy, and it prevented them from detecting Luke until he actually attacked.

Caught in the crossfire, the cruisers all unavoidably angled away, leaving the station briefly unchallenged. This allowed R2-D2 to reset many of the overstrained systems. By attacking from behind, Luke was firing against defensive shields on the cruisers that had not been struck in their initial encounter with the Star Killer. Their power generators were consequently sapped to the extreme as they were suddenly required to compensate for the unexpected, additional expenditure of energy. To their overseers, the technicians all seemed to be struggling at their stations as they tried to maintain the minimum amount of power to the most critical systems on the effected craft.

An Imperial response was however inevitable. Just as quickly as their commanders could bring the massive ships around, the cruisers came about. But unlike the Star Killer, whose impressive speed was to be found in its hyperspace capabilities, the little warship was infinitely faster and more maneuverable than the bulky cruisers. Luke followed them in their turn and continued his attack even as they were rotating. The gunners all tried to track the intruder, but its pilot seemed to have some kind of supernatural sense of where they were going to shoot. He avoided their volleys even as they were pulling the triggers.

The Imperial officers were nevertheless easily intelligent enough to understand that the warship's assault was a diversion; the real danger was the Star Killer, which was still sitting as a stationary target. Ignoring, as best they could, the ceaseless strikes from the unexpectedly powerful armaments of the little battleship, they ordered their helmsmen to make another run at the motionless station. Luke had no choice but to expose his robust little ship to potential broadsides as he maneuvered his way toward the lead vessel.

The Imperial gunners found it incredibly difficult to take advantage of the opportunity that should have been afforded them against the warship. Copying his astrodroid's ploy, Luke caused his craft to corkscrew as it passed between the cruisers, which diminished the chance of any shield on his ship being struck consecutively as he also proceeded to veer erratically. To the gunners, he almost appeared to be out of control; and they had to carefully check their fire to make sure of not accidentally striking one of their other ships. In this fashion he was able to irrepressibly advance on the lead cruiser.

"R2, I'll try to take out the shield generator for the bridge of the lead ship," Luke said into his headset. "If I'm successful, and you monitor the force field's failure, I want you to then fire on the coordinates I'm sending you. I'll attack the bridge's backside in the same spot. If this works, we will cripple their control center between us; but inertia will keep the cruiser on its course, so you'll have to move the station in one big hurry. Here we go!"

Angling his little battleship over the stern of the careening cruiser, Luke threaded his way through the storm of laser bolts that were sent to intercept him. Taking out as many turrets as he could along the way, he quickly closed on the shield generator in question. The potency of his weapons far exceeded that of any other ship its size; otherwise, the device's defensive screens would have turned aside his assault. But the generator was dramatically destroyed. As it spectacularly blew apart into flaming fragments, the shields around the cruiser's critical bridge were removed.

Every weapon on the Star Killer was fixed on a single set of coordinates, which Luke had provided. As that assault was unleashed, he added the battleship's contribution. The besieged bridge was suddenly sporting a horrific hole right through its superstructure. No further course corrections would now be possible for the doomed dreadnaught.

As smoke poured from the perforation, sucked out into the vacuum of space, R2-D2 ignited the engines of the Star Killer and sent it speeding out of the way. Beyond all hope of control, the condemned cruiser crashed into the ill-fated asteroid field. The result was as calamitous as it was predictable.

Because of the angle of impact, some of the stones in space were knocked directly down into the gravity well of the planet. The shock waves, from the cruiser's subsequent explosion, slowed some of the other asteroids enough that their angular momentum was no longer sufficient to keep them in orbit. Only moments after the cruiser's destruction, a momentous amount of ruinous rock was plummeting toward the planet.

The asteroid belt quickly lost all of its equilibrium. Between the cruiser's collision and all of the subsequent explosions, far too much force had been introduced. It destabilized a status quo that had existed for untold eons. Some of the ensuing impacts between the building-sized boulders deflected them and/or their flailing fragments completely beyond the space that had previously defined the boundaries of the belt.

Due to the interface of the astrodroid and the central computer, the station was able to imperviously remain in appalling proximity to the spreading destruction. A combination of micro-maneuvers and hyper-accurate targeting kept it from being struck. The cruisers however were forced to decelerate and back away from the spreading barrage of space rocks; while, within the storm of crazily spinning stones, Luke's warship seemed to move with improbable impunity as it continued to target the shield generators on the imperiled Imperial ships.

All of this, even in its totality, would not have been enough to enable the Jedi Master and his astrodroid to annihilate the entire armada. But R2-D2 was not out of tricks yet. It was a matter of the necessity of using everything at its disposal that awakened the robot to the option of utilizing the tractor beam. At first, this additional system was only used as a different type of deflector. But R2-D2 quickly understood that the final trajectory of the repelled rock did not have to be left to chance. The cruisers suddenly found themselves the focus of every errant stone that strayed within range of the station's tractor beam.

With their shield generators in ruins and almost all their gun placements pulverized, the crippled cruisers were feebly forced to retreat. The commanders were all aware that reinforcements from within the system were on the way. But they would not arrive in time to make a decisive difference if the current campaign. Their dreadnaughts would end up derelict if they refused to withdraw. Angling away, they grudgingly disengaged from the conflict. But this didn't prevent some parting shots from the rock-slinging station.

"We did it, R2!" Luke excitedly announced. "Give me a minute to get this baby back in the bay; and then, you know what to do."

From the onset, Luke had intended to make a hyperspace jump from the Geonosian system to Tatooine after they fired the cascade-inducing weapon. According to Anakin's suggestion, he intended to forewarn the inhabitants of at least that endangered region of space. However, in order to accomplish this objective and avoid having their course out of the system possibly calculated by any pursuit, they needed to reach a specific position in relationship to the Geonosian sun. He was aware of the other Imperial emplacements and that reinforcements would be on the way. If they hadn't engaged all the cruisers that were in close proximity to the planet, there would've been no opportunity to execute the final part of their plan surreptitiously.

Now, the planet would shield them from the scanners of all the cruisers, both those that had just withdrawn and those that were now on their way from the outlying reaches of unknowingly condemned star system. Unless their subspace scanners alerted them to the danger, which was highly unlikely while they were still within the limits of the system, they would reach Geonosis just as the shock wave did. In all probability the approaching Imperial ships, as well as the ones that had fled from the fight, would all perish.

As soon as Luke was back aboard, R2-D2 set course for the jump-point. Their route out of the solar system needed to take them almost directly away from the star; so, there was no option for any other trajectory. They had to already be on the side of the sun that faced Tatooine before they could fire the station's primary weapon and then engage the hyperdrive. The Imperial ships would have no occasion to interfere even if they detected what was happening, but Luke did not want to give them the opportunity to escape.

As he entered the bridge and saw that they were quickly approaching those critical coordinates, Luke turned to his robot and said, "R2, when I first met you on Tatooine, it never occurred to me that one day we'd be destroying stars together; let alone one that would wipe out that very world. If there really is any justice in the universe whatsoever, I don't suppose either of us should survive this crusade. By now, I'm probably much more notorious than even the people who obliterated Alderaan. And I may be far from finished. As soon as we reach the jump-point, fire the weapon and take us to Tatooine. Maybe we can still save the inhabitants of at least one world."

R2-D2 softly whirred in response. To Luke, the astrodroid sounded almost sorrowful. The Dark Jedi settled into a nearby seat and silently observed, yet again, the unleashing of the most dreadful weapon ever designed. Only moments later, the viewing screens all revealed the panorama of hyperspace. He sighed as he considered the devastation from which he was fleeing. He tried to console himself, although somewhat unsuccessfully, by focusing on his hope of possibly saving the inhabitants of Tatooine.

Being less than a parsec away, the trip to their relatively nearby destination did not really afford him much time for rest. Fortunately, he was able to rely on his astrodroid to use the station's communication array and issue a warning on all frequencies about the explosion of the Geonosian star. The broadcast carefully made no mention of the cause, which the audience probably mistakenly assumed as unknown. Since it was rendered by such an Imperial embassy however it was taken quite seriously. By the time Luke arose from his seat to return to his quarters an evacuation was already underway.

For the time being, he elected to leave the Star Killer in orbit around Tatooine, even if such an action smacked of nostalgia. There was no way anybody would assail such an envoy, especially after it had just delivered news of an impending disaster. Everybody on the planet was far too busy with preparing for an emergency, interstellar exodus. He told R2-D2 to return all efforts to finding the self-destruct device. And then, he left the bridge.

The echoing emptiness of the metallic corridors was just one more reminder of how successful he had become at depopulating every region of space that he entered. It had been some time since he had enjoyed any really meaningful rest, but he was much more emotionally exhausted than he was physically fatigued.

Wearily making his way into the bedroom near the back of his quarters, he stretched out on its expansive accommodation. He was almost instantly aware of a disturbance on the other side of the room.

A tremor in the Force alerted him as to its source. He had experienced it before. He arose and confronted the malicious manifestation as it materialized in the bedroom. The image of the Clone Emperor appeared before him, seeming to step out of the shadows.

"I see you've been very busy, my young apprentice, and very naughty," he sneered.

"You disapprove of my industry?" Luke sarcastically inquired.

"Only with your actions, not your intentions," Darth Chrysalis replied. "But I wonder if you have truly come to terms with those yourself, or do you still believe you're somehow saving the Republic?"

"What are you talking about?" Luke demanded.

"I gave you command of this station," Darth Chrysalis reminded him. "Did you really have cause to kill its crew? Did you really think they would defy you after you'd defeated Darth Maul? Tell me you weren't deliberately testing your capacity for killing. The path to the power of the Dark Side is paved with such unnecessary slaughter. Perhaps I should go ahead and give you your Sith name right now, but you would probably rather fashion one to your own liking after you've replaced me."

"Replaced you?" Luke incredulously asked in reply. "I have no such ambitions!"

"Really? Your actions say otherwise," Darth Chrysalis retorted. "Only by eliminating my ability to replace myself could you possibly hope to succeed me. You've done exactly that. And you've accomplished it with more murder than the history of the Sith combined. Maybe you haven't admitted to yourself that you've turned, or maybe you're afraid that I won't embrace your ambitions; but I cannot train an apprentice who doesn't want to take my place, even if I would never allow him to do so. The Sith allow their apprentices much more leeway than do the Jedi. Don't you understand that you're already my student? Are you unaware of my expertise in exactly the abilities you're exploring? Only by my training can you hope to attain the pinnacle of your power. Your designs against my life are of no concern to me, my parasitic apprentice. This is how it's always been for the Sith. You are only following in the footsteps of every Dark Lord that went before you. Do you not know this?"

"You're only trying to confuse me," Luke accusingly answered, but the argument did not even sound convincing to him. There was a resounding ring of truth to the Emperor's allegations; but, touting what he thought to be his trump card, he much more confidently declared, "If I were only keeping my own counsel in this matter, perhaps I'd have some cause to reconsider. But I have seen the spirits of those who dedicated themselves to the cause of redemption. Even my father's fate was altered by his decision to finally turn from the Dark Side. Having transformed into the Force, he is now among my mentors. It did you no good to kill his clone. Through me, he continues to thwart your ambitions. For the Sith however the end is quite possibly oblivion. But as a clone, I'm not even sure you have a soul to save. Perhaps you've already been irrevocably damned by your own dark designs."

"You foolishly follow the instructions of phantoms and you think to lecture me about something as intangible as eternal destiny?" Darth Chrysalis laughingly demanded. "Can you even be certain of the true identities of these ghosts? Look where their lessons have led you! They may merely be manifestations of the ambition to which you so desperately do not want to admit. They may even be the disguised souls of the deceased Sith, trying to help you in the ways you've not yet allowed me. And if I do not have a soul, how am I able to focus the Force? I'm patently disappointed by such insubstantial arguments. You would do better to challenge my wisdom as a ruler and acknowledge your aspirations of replacing me - topics with which we could advantageously deal. You've much to learn."

"You flatter yourself!" Luke spat. "There is nothing of any importance that you could possibly teach me!"

"Oh really?" Darth Chrysalis drawled, disdainfully. "And what exactly can you tell me about the legend of the Chosen One?"

"The Jedi Council explained it to me in detail, which should establish their identities beyond any doubt!" Luke passionately replied. "It's ancient. They preserved the tradition for hundreds of years, although they dismissed it for a while when they believed the Sith were destroyed. It spoke of one who was to come forth and restore balance to the Force; which, I'd contend, is precisely what my father would have accomplished had it not been for the Kaminoans and their cloning technology. Now, that fate has fallen to me."

"It would probably be much more accurate to say that you are the fate that befell the Kaminoans," the Clone Emperor caustically contended. "But it is odiously apparent to me that the Jedi, if that's even what they really are, have not told you the entire tale. If in fact they ever actually understood it themselves, they didn't even bother to tell it fully to your father. It isn't possible to understand the story without also including the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise."

"What are you talking about?" Luke irately demanded but then immediately regretted having actually invited so potentially tainted an explanation.

"Your father himself, or whatever wraith he has become, would be the first to tell you that the Sith are not less knowledgeable than the Jedi," Darth Chrysalis immodestly said. "We were well aware of this prophecy. It fell to my mentor to imagine some way to tip the scales in our favor. Even though it seemed an impossible task, he succeeded; and this is why he was called Darth Plagueis the Wise. As I told Anakin, he could keep the ones he loved from dying. But this was only the second aspect of his power I revealed in the very same conversation, and your father apparently didn't possess the discernment to realize how the Dark Lord's primary power played directly into his destiny. Darth Plagueis could actually influence the midi-chlorians to create life."

"How it played directly into my father's destiny?" Luke incredulously echoed.

"My master came to understand that there was only one way to use the prophecy of the Chosen One to our advantage," Darth Chrysalis replied. "Rather than allowing him to arise spontaneously, we needed to deliberately bring him forth at a time and place of our choosing. This is what my master did. Your grandmother, Shmi, passed through a series of owners before finally ending up as the property of Watto. And the last of these was my Master. Your father's virgin birth was brought about by Darth Plagueis. He was the result of a manipulation of the Force by one of the Sith, engineered by the Dark Side; thus was his destiny sealed before he had even been born. I instantly knew who he was, when we were introduced on Naboo, by virtue of where he'd been found. And not only did I subtly shape this being that my Master had cunningly created, but I also did it directly in front of the unseeing eyes of his unremarkable mentors."

"I don't care what insidious scheme you and your damnable master hatched!" Luke railed at the specter. "My father was forgiven! His eternal destiny was altered! The Force will be brought into balance! You, and your delusions of an unending Empire, will die!"

"I applaud your passion, my Padawan," Darth Chrysalis smilingly answered. "You've not the wherewithal however to bring about my end. I am as close to indestructible as a physical form can be. Whatever I lack in strength; I more than make up for in my mastery of the Force. The Kaminoans also considerably increased my longevity; even if you were to come to your senses and embrace your apprenticeship, I'd outlive you by decades. In your arrogance, you've eliminated any opportunity for actually replacing me. Your clones would have been stronger than you, and one of them might have eventually found a way to realize your ambition. Nevertheless, you need to understand that you've already allied yourself with the Dark Side, and you need to wholeheartedly accept that allegiance. Only as my dedicated student can you possibly achieve your potential."

"To serve as your incarcerated commander on the Star Killer while you live out your artificially extended life in the comforts of the Imperial capital?" the Dark Jedi demanded, forebodingly. "I don't think so! You've underestimated how dangerous I really am. I have it within my power to destroy entire star systems, and I don't even care how many I have to obliterate in order to eliminate you. I know all about the self-destruct device. But I also know how critical this station's existence has become to the perpetuation of your Empire. Eventually, I will corner you somewhere. And you will have to destroy this station or die, if that is my astrodroid hasn't already removed that option for you. Why don't you come out here and try to take it from me if you think you're so superior? Otherwise, I will come to Coruscant and extinguish its sun and the sun of every other system to which you flee until I have finally snuffed you out!"

Luke thought he detected uncertainty in the measuring look with which the Emperor regarded him, until Darth Chrysalis finally replied, "Perhaps you would at that. How very interesting. Maybe it's time to start your training. But you need to understand, first of all, that I never meant to simply leave you marooned. As you apparently have discovered, it is possible for the station to be manned robotically. After all, how can I train you if you're out there and I'm here? Very well, I will honor your request. I have a few things to finish putting in order here; and then, I'll honor you with a visit. And how will you receive me?"

"With a saberstaff," Luke sneered. "You will have to force your way onto this station; so, I hope you have many more ships to spare. As long as my shields hold, you'll remain unwelcome; so, if you should somehow manage to overcome me and retake control, the Star Killer will be in nowhere near its current condition – but neither will you. Anytime you feel like you're ready for your funeral, I'm waiting; but, if I were you, I would not delay too long. I might get bored and have to find some more Imperial installations to destroy. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

With a last sardonic smile, before finally fading, the Emperor's image uttered, "Very well then. Stand by to be boarded, my impetuous apprentice."

"Stand by to be deposed," Luke belligerently replied. "The only thing that will replace you is peace, and far sooner than your artificially extended lifespan will let you imagine."

"We shall see," the Emperor's seemingly disembodied voice replied as the eruption in the Force finally receded in upon itself and vanished.

Darth Chrysalis opened his eyes. With a thunderous wave of his hand, he made the doorway to his chambers open. Moderator Thurion stood there, his hand still hovering in front of the button for the doorbell. Even though the Galactic Senate no longer effectively existed, the Emperor had long ago seen fit to appoint somebody to the position of acting as his representative to the realm. He required somebody to relay his edicts, somebody who would seem approachable to the leaders of the subject star systems. If they had no forum within which to work out grievances, it might eventually erode his control. The man was only an instrument with no real power of his own. But the Emperor always took time to afford him an audience. This time however the Moderator had been summoned.

Levitating himself to his feet, and enjoying the effect this had on the horrified official, Darth Chrysalis announced, "I've a very unusual assignment for you. I want you to recall the Congress. I want them assembled by the time I return from the Outer Rim. They are to witness the demonstration of a new weapon system. It will be easiest if I have them all assembled in one place. If any foolishly refuse to send a representative, warn them that such a denial will automatically select their system as the target for this demonstration. Do you understand?"

The Moderator was trembling so hard that it was difficult for him to remain balanced as he bowed and very unsteadily replied, "Yes, Majesty. It will be done according to your command."

"Have a shuttle prepared," Darth Chrysalis continued. "I'll be assuming control of the command ship, now in orbit, in order to complete this reconnaissance. Advise the orbital stations that I will be taking the bulk of the fleet with me, so they will be held accountable for keeping the situation secure until I return. Remind them that their right to serve in my Empire, as well as any possibility of promotion, depends entirely on success. Those who disappoint me earn only nonexistence. I expect to be ready to leave within the hour. That is all."

"Thank you, Majesty," Thurion responded, executing one last obeisance. He turned and practically ran from the Clone Emperor's chambers.

Using the technical stations within his residence, Darth Chrysalis then set about the business of preparing for his departure. His Empire was in a very sorry state. The report of his demise had essentially shattered the stability of all interstellar organization. It was hardly the most auspicious time to be taking a sabbatical, but the Star Killer represented the ultimate tool for restoring his control. The need for re-establishing his ability to direct its destructive force made everything else extraneous. If, in the process, he managed to obtain a dependable apprentice, so much the better; nevertheless, the ultimate evolution of Geonosian doomsday weapons absolutely had to be recovered – especially now that it was the last of its kind. He would do whatever was now needed to relieve his impulsive protégée of its misappropriated power.

Having already made every other arrangement, he stepped over to the holographic recorder. There was one final item of business to which he needed to attend. It seemed that this was the most reasonable option. Engaging the device, he began to speak.

"Since the son of Anakin Skywalker has now destroyed all the cloning facilities in the Kamino system, the biometric implant is useless. Although my experiences are still being transmitted, there is no station to receive them, nor is there a clone into which they could eventually be uploaded. Hopefully, I'll at least be able to rectify this last problem. And it's for your benefit that I'm making these recordings, if in fact I'm ultimately able to replicate myself with the assistance of others. These recordings will have to serve instead at least temporarily.

"I am about to go take the Star Killer away from Luke Skywalker. He knows that I am coming, but it's of no concern. He can't hope to defeat me in combat. My only fear is that the battle station may be seriously damaged in the process. I'm recalling the members of the Galactic Senate so I can collectively show them this ultimate incentive for submitting to my restored control. A transmission that was received from the Geonosis system, just before it was destroyed, indicated that Skywalker had used the station's warship in order to engage the Imperial forces there. The warship will make it possible for me to make an external recording of the Star Killer in action.

"Over the last couple of decades, I have slowly incorporated non-engineered officers into the Imperial ranks. The Storm Troopers are resourceful, but they were engineered to take orders. They weren't really designed for command. However, their submission is to me. Only because I installed the officers in leadership positions over them do they obey. In this, they remain a secret weapon for ensuring the allegiance of those officers. Maybe no one remembers how I used them to eliminate the Jedi. And it is most regrettable that those on the Star Killer were apparently purged; otherwise, it might not be necessary for me to even take this trip.

"Luke believes there is a self-destruct device on the station, since this is what I told its officers. In a way it was true, from a certain point of view. However, I wasn't referring to some type of mechanism. The Kaminoans had very specifically created those clones for service aboard the Star Killer. If its command crew had rebelled against me, I'd have simply sent a coded message, just as I did during the Clone Wars. The Storm Troopers on the station would have turned on their officers, just as they turned on the Jedi. Since he is laboring under this misapprehension, Luke is probably spending all his energies in searching for a non-existent device. This may also help to minimize the damage to other Imperial installations, which he might inflict if he were not so otherwise engaged.

"I've spent some time trying to determine where it would be best to demonstrate the Star Killer's destructive ability. I seriously considered targeting a Separatist system, but it could be considerably counterproductive to further endanger the economy of the Empire at this precise point in time. The Outer Rim worlds with the wherewithal to espouse such anti-Imperial postures are also usually the most lucrative. However, I have come up with a much more appropriate target.

"Although I am certain they don't even suspect that I know such a thing, the leaders of the Alliance were helped by the indigenous inhabitants of the forest moon of Endor. I'll return with a vengeance to the place where my predecessor was disembodied. For their part in the destruction of the Death Star, I'll ruthlessly exact from the Ewoks the supreme price, that of their very existence. Surely, that will be the most appropriate of all possible examples. After that, anybody who had been considering a relationship with the Alliance will certainly see it as suicidal.

"During their duel on the Death Star, Darth Vader was able to divine a thing from his son. Luke has a twin sister. Her name is Leia, adoptive daughter of Bail Organa; Senator of what once was Alderaan. I am aware that he has been training her as a Jedi, although I doubt that there has been sufficient time for her to have truly forged an alliance with the Force. But if it does become necessary to eliminate my current apprentice, it may be that Anakin's other offspring will serve in his stead. Having a female student could even have additional advantages. She'd have added options for demonstrating her gratitude for my training. One way or the other, the children of the Chosen One will pay homage to me.

"Unfortunately, there isn't time now for me to do much more recording. I must go up to the command ship and take control of the fleet in orbit around Coruscant. I'm afraid I will lose more ships in gaining access to the Star Killer. But possession of its power will almost make the rest of the fleet superfluous; because once the various representatives of the Galactic Senate have all seen it in action, there will be no more talk of rebellion or secession. Fear of my reprisal will keep every star system in the galaxy in submission to the Empire. I will then have time aplenty in which to rebuild the fleet as a legacy to hand down to you.

"As soon as I've reacquired control of the Star Killer, I'll begin the search for another race with the necessary technology for creating such sophisticated clones. Although the Kaminoans may have been the best, with the entire galaxy at my fingertips, I'm sure they couldn't have been the only such race. Part of the power of the Sith is derived from their understanding of the fact that everyone is ultimately replaceable."

With an almost imperceptible gesture, Darth Chrysalis deactivated the holographic recorder. He then spent an uncomfortable moment surveying his surroundings. Despite having the accumulated experiences of his Imperial predecessor, only the Force actually felt familiar. The perception did not extend to his environments, even if he was intimately aware of their every nuance. It was like he had walked onto the soundstage of a motion picture with which he was very well acquainted. He understood its contents, but without any feeling of really belonging there. And that was not the extent of his uneasiness.

As Anakin had said to the Clone Emperor's antecedent, the power of the Sith comes from their passion. But Darth Chrysalis felt altogether unattached, disassociated, as if he were only an observer, utterly unable to emotionally engage in his own existence. It was extremely disconcerting. He wondered if this characteristic was a consequence of being a clone and if all such subjects shared it. He could no longer ask his Kaminoan creators if they knew this to be the case. Nor did he wish to hazard the possible repercussions of putting the question to one of his manufactured troops. It was a topic with which he now had to wrestle alone. He could not even be sure if it would be wise to make mention of it in the recordings that were intended for his successor.

This is why he had responded with such offended indignation when Luke suggested that he lacked a soul. In truth, he felt as if something actually were missing. However, he had not been able to isolate the absent element. And he could not escape the perception that it was something very important. Despite his unparalleled power, it was almost as if he were actually just an apprentice, still desperately searching for the Master who could help him make sense of the universe. As best he could, he dismissed the misgiving.

Strolling to the overlook at the end of his office, he gazed out upon the city. A force field now replaced the glass that had once spanned the expansive opening. Despite how increasingly grisly were the forms of execution for engaging in such attempts, a series of would-be assassins had finally necessitated the substitution. This was the precise place where he had fought Master Windu until Anakin Skywalker surprised the Jedi Master by interceding. The fate of the galaxy had been decided that day, he thought, and it was a fate from which he would allow no escape. His wisdom in manipulating the Chosen One had allowed him to survive, and none could now hope to contend with him.

Yoda had subsequently survived just such a duel, but only temporarily. Even those of his kind were not so long-lived. And Obi-Wan had foolishly failed to finish the foe that finally returned to defeat him. Now, they were both dead. And even if they somehow still existed in some form, he thought, their wisdom had not been sufficient to stop him while they were yet alive. Why should he be concerned about them giving ineffectual counsel to someone he would have fried had it not been for more intercession of the part of the Chosen One? Certainly, the intercession of Anakin had ended. The pivotal person had been removed from the equation. He could no longer deliver anyone. His was a legacy of uncertain affiliation, and it showed in the indecisiveness of his misguided son.

Why should the absolute ruler of the galaxy crave forgiveness? Why sow seeds of doubt into a design that held eternal dominion as its ultimate objective? Why should he squander his energy upon concerns about what kind of wraith he would become in the arcane non-corporeal? But why did he feel as if his memories had become trapped with him in a time to which they did not belong? Why he did he find it so absolutely unsettling that Luke was claiming to have interacted with the disembodied servants of a philosophy against which his every action was opposed? Why had there never been any account of such an encounter with a slain Sith Lord? Why was he so utterly incapable of identifying the nameless uneasiness with which he was constantly beset? Could it be that he simply had not committed the amount of murder that was required to be strong enough with the Dark Side to resist such uncertainties? It was the only solution that he could consider as acceptable; and since he was about to contend with the only person who could possibly stop him, it was a shortcoming that he needed to promptly rectify.

Luke had caused the destruction of entire star systems. The Clone Emperor did not believe that such long-distance death dealing could really increase one's mastery of the Force. If he had any reason to think otherwise his predecessor would have been on the first Death Star, absorbing all the advantage from Alderaan's annihilation. But Luke had killed an unknown number of crewmen, up close and personal, aboard the battle station. Darth Chrysalis knew that such slaughter would provide empowerment to his apprentice. Although his midi-chlorian count had been strikingly increased, the Clone Emperor knew that he most definitely needed to take all such possible improvements into account.

While his defeat seemed impossible, Darth Chrysalis was not going to allow for the error of overconfidence. He had seen that work to the mayhem of many, even the Dark Lord of which he was an arguably superior copy. Of all the campaigns in which he had engaged in either form, this one represented the pinnacle. He needed to re-secure the Star Killer and either turn or terminate the seditious son of the Chosen One. There was no room for error.

Using his com-link, he told his chief-of-security that he was headed for the shuttle.

Emerging from his Imperial accommodation, he was quickly surrounded by a squad of Storm Troopers. He considered their actions as almost ironic. The show of force might be impressive to the public, but he was far better equipped to protect them. It was almost like blaster-toting Senators assaying to safeguard a Jedi. But he was also aware that the men were each trying to distinguish themselves in his service. He allowed their formation to assemble around him, struggling hard not to show his amusement at the situation.

As they stepped out onto the landing platform, the chief-of-security, who was waiting to receive them, executed a sharp salute. With understandable apprehension, the officer approached his supernatural superior. It looked as if he was about to say something, but he was rudely interrupted. With lightning-fast reflexes that actually anticipated the event and engineered appendages that were unbelievably skillful at focusing the Force, Darth Chrysalis used nothing more than his hand to deliberately deflect the laser blast, which erupted from an adjacent building, directly into the officer's chest. Thrashing in obvious agony, he collapsed upon the platform. The startled soldiers all returned fire.

Hovering security-droids quickly isolated the location of the shooter. Moments later, the would-be assassin had been executed. The other officers, members of the shuttle's command crew, had all scattered with the firing of the first shot. As the alarming episode finally came to an end, their leader cautiously approached the Clone Emperor. His eyes turned questioningly to the sprawled body of the chief-of-security.

"He was charged to guard my life as if it were his own. By his failure, he endangered himself," Darth Chrysalis patiently explained. "Anyone who allows such an assassination attempt automatically becomes its target. Have you certified the safety of the shuttle and double-checked the operation of its shields? If anybody manages to bring down my ship, I can promise you that everyone else onboard will perish even if I do not."

"We've increased the shielding specifications for the shuttles of each command ship according to your orders, Majesty," the officer, Captain Orloff, replied. "I've checked this shuttle's systems personally. Your trip will be without any further mishap, I assure you."

"See to it then," Darth Chrysalis instructed. "I have a very long journey ahead of me, and its outset has already been far from auspicious."

As the Clone Emperor turned to dismiss his security detail, he threateningly added, "Inform Moderator Thurion that he will need to select a new chief-of-security. Whichever of you can determine who leaked the information about the shuttle launch can have the position. Once you've established their identity, you needn't wait to execute them. Just make sure you present the incontrovertible evidence to Moderator Thurion, so it can be placed on file with your promotion. And then be certain you never allow another mistake like this."

As he finished this statement, he looked down at the chief-of-security. The man was not dead. He looked pleadingly up at the Clone Emperor. Some medical personnel were already approaching with a gurney. But before they could lift the injured man unto it, with a simple wave of his hand in the dying man's direction, Darth Chrysalis mercilessly flung him from the platform. He screamed as he was consigned to splatter on the street below.

"Send some droids to clean up that mess," the Clone Emperor coldly concluded.

Gesturing towards the assembled flight officers, Darth Chrysalis wheeled toward the shuttle. The dismissed Storm Troopers immediately turned their attention to the matter of determining how the assassination attempt had been arranged. The Emperor's promise of promotion was an extremely strong incentive, despite all the dangers necessitated by advancement to such a responsible position. And he was well aware that they would not rest until they had determined the truth of the matter. Upon his return, he could therefore expect to find someone far more faithful as his chief-of-security. He even considered that he might have made a mistake in appointing a non-engineered officer to the post. There are some things, he thought, for which clones truly are the most qualified.

Escorted by a squadron of very vigilant security droids, the Clone Emperor's shuttle cleared the platform and soared into the skies above Coruscant. Not unexpectedly, there were no more attempts made against the life of Darth Chrysalis that day. The citizens of the capital looked on as the droid-enshrouded vessel slipped into the upper atmosphere. They could only pray that the clone would not return, though none of them could actually imagine a set of circumstances that would result in any such deliverance. While the void of space was the one place in which the Imperial aberration should have been easiest to kill, the firepower of the fleet would greet any attempt. In short, Darth Chrysalis seemed to be the strongest where mortality should arguably have made him the weakest.

The command ship was waiting to receive the shuttle. Rows of Storm Troopers lined the landing bay, waiting for the craft to come to rest. Admiral Turlow was also on hand to demonstrate his deference for Darth Chrysalis. The Clone Emperor emerged without any escort, striding down the ramp to the place where the Admiral and all the bridge officers were bowing before him. Inquiry was in the Admiral's eyes as he looked up and saw the solitary figure before him, but he durst not ask the obvious question. However, the Clone Emperor addressed his unspoken concern.

"Captain Orloff and his crew are dead," he soullessly said. "It seemed strange to me that the assassination attempt was only against my person and not against the shuttle. It also intrigued me how the captain was able to so confidently assure me that there would not be any further mishaps. During the journey, I was able to discern the reason. He and his crew were the source of the leaked information. I also found it necessary to eliminate my previous chief-of-security. I have no inhibitions against engaging in so much killing so early in the day, but I would like to think that I am now finished for a while. I trust that you and your gallant crew will give me no reason to reconsider."

"Majesty, I am very sorry to hear of such misfortunes," Admiral Turlow replied as he arose at a gesture from Darth Chrysalis. "You will find nothing but loyalty to you and your Empire here. If it were not so, I would expect to be held responsible. Great honor entails great accountability, and there is no greater honor than your service."

"You may dispense with the pleasantries," Darth Chrysalis replied. "You understand our objective?"

"Your message specified Tatooine as our destination," Turlow responded. "Because the Kaminoan and the Geonosian suns were destroyed, although we are oddly unable to verify the resulting shock waves, our route will be somewhat circuitous. I have however instructed the navigators to calculate our course so we arrive in the target system while its sun is occluding Tatooine. Our entry into normal space will therefore be unobserved."

"Well done, Admiral," Darth Chrysalis replied. "And I want us immediately underway. But there are two further things I would require of you."

"You have but to name them, Majesty," Admiral Turlow assured him.

"It may be quite a complex problem for us to replace the industry of the Kaminoans, but they could not have been the only race in the galaxy with such sophisticated cloning technology," Darth Chrysalis carefully said. "Have the databases on this ship thoroughly searched. I need a list of any potential alternates. Once I've assumed control of the Star Killer, I may have you act as my envoy and represent a lucrative arrangement to anyone who might be able to replace them. Assign as many technicians as needed. I would like to have this list by the time we reach Tatooine."

"I'll have my crew get right on it, Majesty," Admiral Turlow replied. Pausing, he then asked, "Was there something else as well?"

"I need a holographic recorder installed in whatever quarters you've assigned me," Darth Chrysalis replied. "And I need to be certain the recordings are secure."

"There is such a device already in my quarters," Admiral Turlow answered. "I'll billet myself elsewhere for the duration of your stay and give you the security code; then, you can simply reset the device to your liking, Majesty. I will also see to the servicing of your shuttle."

"Very good, Admiral," said Darth Chrysalis, turning and heading towards the hatch at the back of the landing bay. "Now, if you would show me the way to my quarters. I've much work to do before we reached our destination. And I will expect regular reports on your progress with the database search. The Empire is still reeling from the events in the Endor system; but by the time our respective missions have been completed, we'll have reestablished that interstellar stability. We may've even made the Empire unassailable."

Admiral Turlow led the way through the cavernous corridors of the Corellian cruiser, finally coming to his quarters. A yeoman, who had been called upon to accompany them, removed the Admiral's articles of clothing from the room's closet and transferred them to a compartment elsewhere on the sprawling ship. After that, the Admiral took his leave of the Clone Emperor and hurried off to delegate the required duties. Darth Chrysalis was left alone in the spacious cabin where he promptly reconfigured the control code for the holographic recorder. He also found and deactivated the various safety devices in room since they could have been instead used to monitor his activities.

Having done this, he returned to the task of trying to summarize all of the very most important things that he believed his eventual successor would need to know. He had no idea if another reception station, for the stream of data from the biometric implant, could be contrived or if any of the information, which had already been lost, could ultimately be retrieved. But it seemed expedient to him to take whatever steps he could to ensure that his evil legacy would continue, even if he still had yet to arrange the most essential thing.

His predispositions prevented him from even considering the possibility that no other adequate cloning technology would be found. He was also assuming that he was certain to regain control of the Star Killer, one way or another, from Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.


	3. Chapters 5 and 6

**Chapter Five: Jungle Gym**

The inhabitants of Saleucami were more than simply hospitable. The rebels were all afforded celebrity status. Their allowable inability to eliminate the new embodiment of the Emperor notwithstanding, the destruction of both Death Stars still represented an almost implausible accomplishment. Considering all the resistance to Imperial control that could easily have been obliterated, it was approximately beyond belief that only one target had actually been destroyed. It had of course been Alderaan, and to the dismay of many. But the second Death Star had not even gotten off a planet-pulverizing shot when the rebels assigned it to nonexistence. They were heralded as heroes. It took some getting used to.

The promise of assistance, with regards to the final campaign on Coruscant, made it unfortunately easy for most of the leaders to be tempted with delay. However, Leia knew there was still one more stop along the way, at least for her. Windu had assured her that his trainees would try to respond to the transponder's summons. But their transport was uncertain and their aid would be far more effective if they were appropriately armed. She was holding the proper weaponry for such supernatural soldiers and in the coincidentally correct number. She was also less apprehensive about her chances of getting inside the Jedi Temple if she were enjoying the aid of such well-armed accomplices.

Kappelian was elsewhere along the Outer Rim, far from the normal trade routes and nowhere near either Kamino or Geonosis. It was a world that consisted almost entirely of untamed jungles, separated only by equally savage seas. At the time Windu chose it, out of necessity, he was unaware of Yoda's exile to the surprisingly similar, primary planet of the Dagobah system. Since Leia knew nothing of Luke's tutelage under that ancient Jedi Master, such a comparison could not even occur to her. But she knew there could be no impediment in reaching the primordial destination, whether the rest of the Alliance chose to accompany her or not. She decided it would be best to express her impatience to the other leaders and was surprised by the nature of the debate into which she walked.

"Luke's gonna our need help!" General Solo was ardently insisting. "We've got more than enough ships going to Coruscant. The orbital stations are our only concern. It's not like we're going up against the Imperial Fleet. They're gonna be going after Luke and the Star Killer. That's where we need to send the bulk of our force!"

"By adding our ships to your own, we can assemble an impressive armada. I am not so certain of the wisdom of splitting that force," the Prefect complained. "The inhabitants of Coruscant will be reassured by the coming of such a Coalition. We could therefore be certain that they will resist the Emperor's return, if in fact he survives. Do you really think we can make a decisive difference in what the Jedi Master is trying to accomplish?"

"If he fails to assassinate the Emperor, then it will be up to us to destroy that station; otherwise, any further resistance is futile!" Han impassionedly argued. "The Death Stars were nothing compared to this thing! Ideally, both the Clone Emperor and the Star Killer need to be eliminated; and, if he sadly manages to kill Luke, we may have the chance to do both at the same time! But we have to actually be there in order to do either!"

"What if Commander Skywalker discovers some way to destroy the station while the Emperor is aboard and elects not to take the chance of failing in a fair fight?" the Prefect pressed. "If our ships are in close proximity, they could be obliterated right along with the Imperial Fleet! We could all be killed! Do you really believe such sacrifice to be justified?"

"If the Clone Emperor, the Star Killer, and the Imperial Fleet are all destroyed;" Leia interjected, accidentally startling them since they were unaware of her entry, "then, there would be no more need for the Alliance. We'd have accomplished our end. I'm not sure I understand your objection. So what if we're unable to show up at the celebration? It's not like we won't be remembered."

"Well said," somebody in one of the back rows invisibly agreed and quickly received almost unanimous, if somewhat subdued, support. Leia recognized the voice of Wedge.

"I see your point," the Prefect patiently replied. "At least, I see your point as far as it relates to the Coalition; however, it would be pretty irresponsible of me to sacrifice every ship we have for the planetary defense of Saleucami in order to augment the armada of the Alliance. I'd being willing to put half our vessels at such risk. But I must insist that the others are all consigned to the campaign on Coruscant. I'll allow the respective captains of each craft to select their assignments, unless there are an overabundance volunteers for the confrontation with the Imperial Fleet."

"You are most gracious," Leia smilingly said with a bow before anybody else could respond. She could see that Han and some of the other leaders had been counting on a larger contingent of ships from Saleucami for the engagement at the Star Killer. But she knew the Prefect's first responsibility was to his people and their planet. He was already doing much more than anybody could reasonably ask.

Glancing around at the rest of the rebel leadership, Han asked, "How do we divide up the Alliance? We need to send some of our ships to support both fronts, don't we?"

"Actually, I've got a further and even more immediate request than that," Leia softly said when no one else instantly responded. "There're four Jedi currently on Kappelian. I need to go get them and give them the lightsabers that were recovered on Utapau. If I'm going to be successful at getting into the Jedi temple, their assistance might very well be incalculable. Whoever takes me to Kappelian will probably be going directly to Coruscant from there, so we really need a strategy that addresses all these concerns."

"Of course, I'd like to take you there in the _Falcon_. In fact, I'd be pretty disappointed if it didn't work out that way," Han quickly interjected. Suddenly however he looked very introspective and he had the tenor of somebody who was thinking out loud as he quietly concluded, "But the smaller, more maneuverable ships would stand to make the greatest difference in the encounter at the Star Killer, and the larger vessels of the Alliance would make the most impressive display to the people of Coruscant. Did I just talk myself out of being your ride?"

He anxiously raised his eyes and looked at her as he asked the question, apparently hoping she would contradict him, but Leia grinningly replied, "You are only thinking like a leader, General. Truthfully, your talents would be wasted on a trip to the capital. You and the _Falcon_ played no small part in the destruction of both Death Stars. When it comes to taking on such Imperial installations, you may be the most experienced officer we're got. If the recommendation were mine to make, I'd tag you to lead the assault. I also have to believe that Luke's best chance of coming back from this thing alive is if you are there to pull him out. I therefore have to agree with your assessment regarding the distribution of our ships, even if it unfortunately sends us across the galaxy from each other."

As Han sighed in obvious exasperation, Chewbacca gurglingly agreed. C-3PO had nothing appropriate to say in response to the announcement but wished, and not for the first time, that R2-D2 was still in their assembly. The little astrodroid would certainly have expressed some sentiment. But the rest of the gathered leaders quickly agreed with the proposition. Admiral Ackbar essentially insisted on taking Leia to Kappelian on his vessel since his cruiser, the _Forthright_, would clearly be leading to delegation to Coruscant.

"I won't be there to coordinate the assault of the smaller ships, but I do have some recommendations," he added. "I'd advise splitting them into three squadrons. Of course, General Antilles will retain command of Rogue Squadron. Generals Solo and Calrissian should take the other two. One squadron should probably be committed to defending the battle station. Another could offensively engage the Imperial Fleet. The third one should be positioned to support whichever of the other squadrons requires it most. I'll leave the division of the actual duties to the individual commanders. May the Force be with us all."

Lando was given command of one of the smaller cruisers from Saleucami to use as the flagship for his squadron. There was a little talk about the possibility of allocating the rebels' medical frigate to the campaign at the Star Killer; but space wars tended to result in deaths, not injuries, and that particular vessel actually possessed the least amount of armament of any ship in the Alliance, nor was there any time to outfit it more offensively for the operation. Being a diplomat, rather than a soldier, the Prefect logically elected to accompany the delegation to Coruscant. He was well aware that, leading the envoy, his cruiser and the _Forthright_ would make an impressive pair.

As the meeting came to a close, Wedge and Lando came over to express their well wishes to Princess Leia. Han and Chewy were already flanking her. It looked like C-3PO was suddenly uncertain of the entire situation but was politely waiting for everybody else to have their say. Leia turned first to Wedge Antilles.

"I want you to know that I hadn't forgotten about you serving in the assaults against both Death Stars, and I'm very glad you're going to be leading Rogue Squadron for this engagement," she said. "It's just that Han, Chewy, Luke, and I were all actually onboard the first Death Star before it finally came against our base at Yavin and was destroyed. If someone ends up having to go aboard the Star Killer to help Luke get off that thing, Han probably has the best chance of finding his way around."

"I wasn't worried, Princess," Wedge laughingly replied. "And I'm not too concerned about you winning your way into the Jedi Temple. I saw the recordings of your fight with the battle droids on Utapau. I wish I could be there when an actual Jedi Knight enters it for the first time in decades, but I'll be busy making sure your brother can come back to you. May the Force be with you."

"And with you as well, General Antilles," Leia replied, hugging him lightly.

Lando looked Han in the eye as he kissed Leia on the hand while Chewy chuckled; after which, he gazed affectionately upon her, saying, "With Han and Wedge both busily backing up your brother, I suppose I should make it my priority to see that your preferred pirate makes it back to you. Don't get me wrong, Princess. Han is a born leader, but you might actually make him responsible as well. I'll look forward to our next meeting."

"As will I, General Calrissian," she politely replied, bowing in return.

Leia gently told C-3PO that there was no place for a protocol droid in a battle at the edge of the galaxy but that her embassy might actually find use for such service. C-3PO silently assented to the change in station, not expressing any disappointment at how the reassignment prevented any possibility of reunion with the robot's mechanic counterpart until after the conflict was concluded. If anyone had observed the way the droid glanced back at the _Millennium Falcon_ while following Leia and her party to the _Forthright_, they might have said it actually looked wistful. Han and Chewy had come to see her off, but they both had eyes only for the princess.

Leia took some additional time securing the extra lightsabers in one of the storage compartments, which allowed the rest of the crew of the _Forthright_ to assume their flight stations, leaving the princess essentially alone with her longtime, cherished companions. Exercising an incredible amount of restraint, considering his substantial strength, Chewy very gingerly hugged her goodbye. His bewailing bellows betrayed how truly devastated he was by the separation. He then quickly turned and trotted off the ship. C-3PO feigned confusion about how the safety harnesses were supposed to snap, pretending not to be aware of the two lovers, giving Han and Leia at least the similitude of a moment alone.

"That thing you said about not showing up for the celebration," he began mockingly as he took her in his arms. "I'm planning on being there, and you'd better be there too!"

"I've done some pretty foolhardy things in my time, more in fact since I met you, but I am nowhere near daring enough to disappoint a decorated leader in the Alliance," she said, smiling impishly. "Now kiss me already."

She did not have to say that twice; though, since they were on the verge of laughter, that particular kiss was somewhat sloppy. However, they did much better on the second much more determined attempt. They lingered in each other's arms just as long as they dared, knowing that the _Forthright_ was about to be sealed for spaceflight. Han was just turning to leave when the communication officer announced receipt of a message from Luke Skywalker.

"He's taking the Star Killer to the Hoth system," the technician said. "That entire area of space is pretty much unpopulated. If he fires that thing there, only the ships that follow him into the system will be endangered. It sounds like he has found an appropriate place for the endgame. Good luck, General Solo, and may the Force be with you. We will hope to see you and the other successful squadrons back on Coruscant."

"My compliments to the Admiral," General Solo responded; and then, with a nod and a half-smile at Leia, he turned and strode from the cruiser. She could not help but notice how gallant he looked as he marched off to assist Luke in engaging the Imperial forces.

"We'll see him again," the communication officer confidently said. "Don't worry."

He noticed the way Leia paused and looked off into space before she finally replied, "Yes, I'm sure we will."

Through the porthole, she watched as Han returned to the _Millennium Falcon_. Only moments after he had disappeared up its ramp, the _Forthright_ lifted from the ground and assumed its flight path. Their next scheduled stop was the jungle world of Kappelian. It suddenly occurred to her to wonder how she was going to find four people on an entire planet. It was certain to be covered with all kinds of other life signs. And the Jedi would not be advertising their presence. It was almost as if she could hear the voice of Master Windu in her mind in response to the question. _Just use the Force, Padawan_.

Londle and his wife, Tysha, had been billeted onboard another of the rebel cruisers. Considering how quickly the techs on the Corellian craft had gotten wise to his electronic incursion, it seemed unlikely that his assistance would be of very much advantage in the engagement at the Star Killer; but, if he were captured, he would certainly pay a dreadful price. And his wife would surely be made to suffer as well, since she would not be parted from him. However, the orbital stations around Coruscant might represent an opportunity for him to contribute to their campaign in a critical way. And the presence of such a high-ranking Imperial turncoat at the capital could also be of immense influence in forestalling any further fighting.

Leia had grown quite fond of the couple, although they had really only spent a brief time together. She was suddenly aware of just how much she had been deprived of the friendship of her familiars. The protocol droid was an almost constant companion, but it did not offer the same level of interaction. She was almost always aware of her ethereal instructors; but at a time like this, they only served to remind her of just how temporary the human condition really was. That was indisputably not the type of reassurance she required. She wondered if anger at isolation was perhaps one the most prevalent paths to the Dark Side.

Once they had made the jump into hyperspace, she suggested that C-3PO take the opportunity to power-down for a while. Then, she unfastened her harness and made her way forward. Some of the other rebels onboard the _Forthright_ were known to her. And it made sense to her to seek them out. The embassy to Kappelian, which she had aspired to undertake, was far removed from anything she had ever experienced. Consequently, she found herself feeling somewhat apprehensive about the assignment. She was much more used to (what her grandmother had called) aggressive negotiations; but the rest of the crew seemed to sense her uncertainty, and they rose to the occasion.

The demonstration of her newfound skills, in rescuing the Prefect, had propelled her to a sudden celebrity status - even more so than her heritage, rank, or involvement in the other engagements of the Alliance. Many of the rebel recruits were young enough not to know the difference between a Padawan and a full-fledged Jedi Knight. For that reason, she was generally looked upon as the latter. During the overnight stay on Utapau, some of them had seen holo-recordings of her brief encounter with the two battle droids. They tended to look at the lightsaber, which hung from her belt, as they conversed with her. It was somewhat amusing to her, but she tried not to let it show.

By the time they engaged the sub-light engines and dropped into normal space, the atmosphere on the _Forthright_ was almost festive. A glance at the screens silenced them. The entire planet, being breathtakingly displayed there, looked like one immense nature preserve.

"Princess," one of the scanner technicians offhandedly observed, "there's an almost unbelievable amount of biomass on that incredibly wooded world. Where do you want us to begin our search?"

"Assume an equatorial orbit," she softly instructed. "I'll let you know from there."

"Any of my technicians will gladly surrender their station to you so you can use it for your search," the admiral respectfully offered. "You have only to ask."

"Thank you, sir," she replied. "But technology won't actually be of any assistance in helping me isolate the individuals for whom I'm looking. Please give me a few moments."

Everyone immediately fell silent as they regarded her questioningly. But she simply stepped in front of the main viewing screen and then stood there wordlessly. She could clearly feel the crew's confusion, since they did not understand what she was doing. Not wanting to be distracted, she ignored the intrusive emotions of everyone around her. Her ability to be mindful of the Force was of paramount importance. She shifted her focus to her world before her, feeling the thickly forested globe that was rotating beneath her feet.

After several moments, she pointed to the image and said, "There, along that coast, where that river empties into the sea. That's where their encampment is located. You will need to come in low over the forest behind it. They have a defensive battery that's aimed in the direction of the ocean. We can use one of the widest places in the riverbank to set the cruiser down some ways inland; and then, you should probably stay with the ship. I'll make the final approach by myself. If they respond with force before I am able to identify myself, it would be best if nobody else were endangered."

"Calculate the course and initiate the descent," the admiral ordered. Turning back to Leia, he said, "You might want to strap yourself back in until we've touched down on the planet. The atmosphere is especially thick, not surprisingly for so foliated a world. Entry in a ship this size is probably going to be uncomfortably bumpy."

"Then I'm glad I had 3PO switch himself off," she cryptically replied. "I'd have heard about it all the way down."

Suddenly understanding that the princess had been talking about her protocol droid, the Admiral laughed uproariously, saying, "You've got a droid that hates flying? That has to be about the funniest thing I think I've ever heard!"

The rest of the crew was amused as well. And as Leia made her way aft again, she could still hear their laughter on the bridge. She was glad to be making planetfall amidst such jocularity, since she how no idea how the four Jedi would receive her. If their skills were superior to hers, she realized it was possible that she might be overly optimistic in assuming an ability to approach their campsite with impunity. But she was not aware of an alternative, and her disembodied instructors had not even been able to supply any.

Admiral Ackbar had not been exaggerating about the turbulence, and she was glad she had elected to leave C-3PO inactive. As the view through the portholes cleared, she got her first look at the utterly untamed landscape. She was instantly able to understand why the Jedi had been able to remain undiscovered in such a savage environment.

As the _Forthright_ finally came to rest on an exceedingly wide swath of riverbank, one of the technicians used the craft's intercom to observe, "There is an immense amount of biological signatures between here and the river's mouth. And some of these signals are of very substantial size. I'm not able to isolate anything humanoid. But considering all the backscatter, I'm not the least surprised. Please take a blaster along with you. I am afraid lightsaber-swinging natives may not be the most immediate of your concerns out there."

"Thank you, I will," she politely replied as she unfastened her harness, collected the lightsabers from Utapau in a pouch, and moved to the rear hatch. Opening the weapons locker, she holstered a fully charged blaster. But she then unclipped the lightsaber from her belt as she activated the airlock and stepped within its confines. She was stunned by aromatic atmosphere in which she was enveloped as the equalization cycle completed.

It was not just the primordial nature of the environment that stirred a profound sense of apprehension in her. Being ever mindful of the Force all around her, she was instantly aware of the predatory intellects that had just become conscious of her presence outside the cruiser. She sensed uncertainty in the rapacious regard that was being aimed at her, and she decided it would probably be best to remain out in the open and proceed along the riverbank. It would give her the most room to maneuver and the most time to prepare a response if she were attacked, though it would also regrettably maximize the watchful eyes to which she would be exposed.

Carefully picking her path across the sandy surface, she moved towards the distant mouth of the mighty river. As she made her way, her mind continued to return to the fact that she only knew where the encampment had been placed. But she still had no idea as to why that particular location had been selected. Arguably, it had to offer an assortment of advantages to its occupants. It disturbed her that she had not yet been able to discern what precisely those benefits might be, since it seemed increasingly likely that she would come to understand them through experience rather than wisdom.

She was very aware that her progress was being shadowed. Just behind the line of exotic plants on either side of the riverbank there were creatures moving. They seemed reluctant however to break cover and attempt any open assault. But she also knew that such an encounter was inevitable. Eventually, one of the most formidable of the jungle's marauders would have to test her response. She really was not surprised when it turned out to be a group of pack-hunters.

Even for top predators, their size was alarming. It looked like any one of them could have taken down a Bantha all by itself. They were quadrupeds with extremely developed hindquarters that facilitated bursts of unbelievable speed. The hue of their hair matched the coloration of the canopy from which they emerged, giving them the unlikely ability of blending into the background. Their teeth and talons were terrible. And their aggression was easily the equal of their considerable size. Aware that their emergence had already been observed, they snarled as they charged from under the copious canopy.

As they breached the barrier and became visible, emerging in unison from multiple places, they quickly converged on her location. Obviously, they hoped to overwhelm her. The activation of her lightsaber's bright blade seemed to give pause to the closest of her opponents; but it was only the hesitancy of uncertainty, not the trepidation of recognition. Their resolve remained unwavering, and they implacably continued to close. Taking up a position in the middle of a relatively smooth circle of sand, she prepared to receive them.

If she instead had made the mistake of focusing on how fearsome they were, things would not have gone well. But all of her attention was on the Force and the weaknesses in their attack that it was revealing. Beheading the first marauder that reached her, Leia then effortlessly sidestepped the second. It whirled just in time to receive a killing thrust from her hissing blade as its body fluids boiled around the sudden insertion and the cut was almost instantaneously cauterized. It too was dead before it even hit the ground.

Her surprising back flip made the third one miss as well. She hewed its hindquarters as she landing lithely behind it. It was not a killing stroke and she regretted the necessity of simply maiming it, but her actions were determined by need. She turned just in time to skewer the fourth member of the pack-hunting party. A fifth she flung off its course with a concussion wave in the Force. Although winded, it turned and ran back into the jungle. A sixth animal followed it without even attempting to actually engage her. It had apparently seen how useless and potentially lethal the gesture would have been.

Leia turned her attention to the wounded one. The injury was far from superficial. As the creature looked back over its shoulder, she could see the pain written in its eyes. Her slice had severed its spine, paralyzing everything behind the effected area. Eventually, it would die; but probably not before scavengers tore it helplessly apart. She was unwilling to let it suffer so needlessly. She raised her lightsaber's blade, fully intending to alleviate its agony. But as she saw the fear on its face, she instinctively realized that it was not in response to what she was about to do.

Turning, she saw the sizable swarm of airborne attackers. They were already in the act of descending towards her position. The distraction of being otherwise engaged had kept her from apprehending their approach. The insect-like intruders streaked down out of the sky and with obvious intent. She swung her lightsaber defensively over her head as she backed away from the powerless predator. It cried out in terror as it realized the horrific fate to which it had just been inescapably consigned.

With a burst of Force-induced speed, Leia left the riverbank. It seemed unlikely that the fearsome flyers would be able to follow her into the forest, so this is where she was forced to flee. There were certain to be other predators there. But something land-based would be easier to face than such a numerous assembly of airborne attackers. She had to wonder if she had perhaps just discovered the unknown quantity upon which the Jedi were relying to defend the backside of their seaside-based situation.

Having gained the concealment of the canopy, she systematically silenced herself and used the Force to scan her surroundings. The arrival of the swarm had caused the other inhabitants to scatter. There was nothing in her immediate area. After seeing how she handled the attack of the pack-hunters, the other predators had quickly lost interest in her anyhow. She waited and watched to see what the swarm would now do.

After feasting on her fallen foes, the insect-like invaders soared back up into the sky. They circled several times and then headed toward an area of low hills on the other side of the river. Presumably, she thought, it should be safe to return to the water's edge; she could not be certain however how wise it would be to close the final distance to the Jedi campsite while entirely exposed. Regrettably, she had no idea if it would be any safer to sneak up on and consequently surprise them instead. But she still believed it'd be best if she enjoyed an occasion to survey the situation once there. She therefore chose to stay behind the line of vegetation. As soundlessly as she could, she resumed her trek.

Although she was a considerable distance above the equator of Kappelian, the heat was substantial enough to be distracting. She tore a pocket from her jumpsuit and cut its fabric into strips in order to fashion a makeshift headband. This kept her from constantly having to wipe the perspiration out of her eyes, an action more distracting than even the heat. While stopped, she sipped from her canteen; and then, she was quickly underway again.

Moving as silently as the undergrowth would allow, it was not long before she began to perceive the sound of the surf. It was still distant, but she knew the campsite was now quite close. She decided to pause once more, this time to wipe the wetness from the hilt of her lightsaber. She had been deliberately shifting it back and forth from hand to hand in an attempt to keep it relatively dry. The technique had not been very successful. Now, since it seemed as if she were about to reach her objective, she decided it would be best to actually prepare the weapon for possible deployment. Her seemingly inconsequential timing truly could not have been any more exact.

She had only just finished drying the shaft of her lightsaber when she suddenly felt compelled to activate it. The blade extended just in time to intercept an airborne dart. As her blade was incinerating the first projectile, others quickly accompanied it. Interposing the fountain of laser light between herself and the speeding projectiles, Leia executed a series of apparently impossible, gymnastic maneuvers. Her superhuman actions carried her to cover. Hoping she would not be forced to use the knowledge offensively, she was able to discern the location of her attackers. She decided to opt for a diplomatic solution.

"Hold your fire, Jedi Knights!" she loudly shouted. "I am the Padawan Princess Leia Organa! I'm here at the bidding of Master Mace Windu whom, I'm also aware, was your mentor!"

"I don't know how you're able to name our instructor!" a male voice hollered in reply. "But your information is incomplete! He died years ago, so you can hardly be here at his bidding!"

Leia knew the others were using the opportunity to change to positions where they could take aim against her through her cover, so she yelled, "Hold your positions! While you're correct about the Jedi Master's passage, you apparently don't yet understand the consequence! Since he transformed into the Force as a servant of light, his essence yet endures! It's possible for you to commune with your old instructor! If you will not listen to me, perhaps you'll listen to him!"

"Can it be?" Leia heard a female voice ask from somewhere uncomfortably close at hand, apparently of the male to whom she had been talking.

"I have lightsabers for all four of you!" Leia added. "I'll trade them for no more than a few minutes of your time! It's absolutely imperative that we take counsel together!"

"Extinguish your blade and come forth," the male voice finally answered. "You won't be harmed unless we determine some untruth in what you're saying. But you'll begin by revealing to us your entire intent, for we have discerned that you're yet withholding much essential information. To begin with, by whom have you been so trained?"

Leia did as instructed. The four Jedi quickly surrounded her. All were humanoid. The male, with whom she had been speaking, and one of the females both appeared to be of one race. The other male and female seemed to be similarly related to each other. There were primitive weapons in their hands, but Leia had no doubt of their prowess with these archaic armaments. Trusting that honesty alone would now be able to induce the desired result, she decided it would be best to tell them even those things that would be the most difficult for them to hear.

"I was trained by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, my twin brother," she said. "We're the children of Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, who for a time became Darth Vader."

"Chosen only to destroy the Republic and bring about the Empire!" replied the other male, raising both his voice and his roughhewn weapon. His female companion touched his arm and gently discouraged him as she nodded for Leia to continue.

"It is not as you think, or I might very well ask you to kill me," Leia softly responded. "Years after becoming Darth Vader, and in order to save my brother's life, Anakin turned upon and defeated the Emperor, perishing himself in so doing. But unknown to anybody, Chancellor Palpatine had already had himself cloned by the Kaminoans. And the Clone Emperor, Darth Chrysalis, now rules in his place."

"Such a succession of Sith Lords could be endless!" exclaimed the sapphire-skinned male with whom Leia had first spoken.

"There will be no more such clones, my brother has already seen to that," Leia said in reply. Seeing the questioning looks on each of their four faces, she explained, "Acting as agents of the original Emperor, the Geonosians designed a dreadful weapon, a battle station with enough fire power to obliterate an entire planet. My adoptive father, Senator Bail Organa, and all the other inhabitants of Alderaan died when it was unleashed. I am part of an Alliance against the Empire, which Luke also joined. As part of our rebellion, he was able to destroy that first Death Star. Later, while Grand Master Yoda was training him, construction began on a second Death Star. It was aboard the second station that Darth Vader ultimately rebelled against the original Emperor and killed him. That second Death Star was subsequently destroyed. But there was an even more dreadful weapon about which we knew nothing. It is called the Star Killer, because it can actually destroy a star. Luke acquired control of the station and then used it to eliminate both Kamino and Geonosis, where it was built."

"You speak of your brother as a Jedi Master, not a servant of the Dark Side, and yet he's destroyed two star systems?" the sapphire-skinned male incredulously demanded.

"We're in communion with members of the Jedi Council, with whom it's still possible for you to meet," Leia patiently replied. "There will be no more Storm Troopers, clones of the Emperor, or Geonosian doomsday machines. But a part of our purpose was to draw Darth Chrysalis away from Coruscant. In order to accomplish this assassination, Luke is willing to sacrifice himself, and certainly the Star Killer must be destroyed. Since it can't be replaced and is now so essential to the endurance of the Empire, the Clone Emperor will have to try to take it from him. Of course, I hope my brother can achieve his ambition without losing his life. But while Darth Chrysalis is otherwise engaged, my assignment is to enter the Jedi Temple and alter the transponder code to summon whatever remains of the Jedi. I am also to use my father's influence to try and recall the Galactic Congress."

"Master Windu seemed to be convinced that we were the very last of the Jedi," said the sapphire-skinned male. "Obviously, you and your brother came along later. But have you any real reason to believe there are others?"

"The Shroud of the Dark Side apparently prevented the few who actually remained from being able to discern each other," Leia replied. "But I'm certain there are others."

"How do you know?" asked the sapphire-skinned female.

"Although the passage of time caused them to transform into the Force, some other Jedi Masters did escape. Having subsequently been reunited with all the ones who went before, they've revealed that they took and trained apprentices just as Master Windu did. I must summon these trainees to the Temple to help with the restoration of the Republic. We may even be called upon to depose Darth Chrysalis if he should somehow survive," Leia answered. And then, as she opened the pouch and distributed the lightsabers, Leia added, "Two of the blades are blue, and the others are both green. Select for yourselves whichever you wish. But I've said all I can to convince you. Are you ready for me to show you how to commune with the Jedi Council? I am certain that Master Windu in particular earnestly desires to speak with you."

It had not escaped her attention that the other male and female were nearly emerald in completion; and so, it did not surprise her when the lightsabers were divided in such a way that they complimented the skin color of each respective recipient. She had already concluded that it was far beyond simple coincidence for there to have been exactly four such weapons recovered. Now, it seemed as if even the color of their arcing discharges had been foreordained. The realization was also obviously apprehended by those same recipients as she told them from whence the weapons had been retrieved. But she was still waiting for an answer to her previous question.

"I'm Xan," the sapphire-skinned male suddenly announced. Indicating the female of similar coloration, he added, "This is Priella. The other male is Mox. With him is Mardra, his cousin. Thank you for bringing us such renowned weapons. Now if you would please, show us now how we may commune with our Master and the Council upon which he has again taken his place."

"Is there a place we can go where we are relatively certain to remain undisturbed?" Leia asked. "I'd hate for us to be interrupted by one of the many predators on this planet, some of the worst of which it seems are airborne."

"Artificial structures are subject to the sudden storms that sometimes sweep in from the sea," Xan replied. "But there's a cave near here that serves as our main habitation. It should suffice for the occasion. But tell us, how did you get here? And how did you know where to look for us? We chose this location years after our Master was taken from us."

"Admiral Ackbar is the supreme commander of the Alliance against the Empire," she replied. "His cruiser, the _Forthright_, is sitting in a wide clearing along the riverbank, some distance upstream. As for the other, I used the Force to determine where to look for you. But you found me first, having ostensibly been informed of my arrival by the same ally."

As she turned and followed them in the direction they indicated, she used her com-link to contact the cruiser and let everyone know about her success. She explained that there might be some delay in her return to the _Forthright_, since the Jedi were taking her to see the cave that served as their homestead. She decided not to try and explain what they were doing, since she knew the logical conclusion would be that they were going to collect their personal items. They had not yet volunteered to come with her to Coruscant. She believed however that their meeting with the Jedi Council would seal their service. It seemed unreasonable to think that Master Windu would be unable to persuade them.

"Should we perhaps reposition the _Forthright_, so it will be in closer proximity to you now that you've made contact?" Admiral Ackbar asked. "That swarm you encountered is still in the area. I'm sorry we didn't pick them up on our scanners in time to warn you. We could keep you from having to return this way by setting the cruiser down on the beach."

"That would be unadvisable," Xan unexpectedly replied, turning to Leia. "There are some incredibly large creatures out in the ocean. They might be attracted to something as shiny as a spaceship. Apparently, the bottom drops off very near the shoreline in this area. Consequently, they can come very close without being observed. It's one of many reasons we selected this spot. Any kind of craft that made the mistake of landing along the coastline wouldn't last long. We're essentially surrounded by such natural defenses."

"Admiral, it sounds like it would be much safer for you to stay where you are at least for the time being," Leia advised him. Ackbar indicated his understanding and signed off.

The group began an ascent toward a rocky outcropping. Xan told Leia that this was where the cave was located. Despite the size of their party, the predators still refused to allow them passage without at least attempting to accost them. Having abandoned their primitive weaponry in favor of their lightsabers, the four escorts were able to discourage the would-be assailants by simply slashing at the foliage with the bright blades. Feeling that it might be important to demonstrate her prowess as a Padawan, Leia unleashed a concussion wave in the Force against any creature that drew close enough to her. Her companions vocally agreed with her option.

"This must've been an awfully challenging place to live," Leia observed.

"It's essentially all we've ever known," Mox replied. "I don't think it was ever Master Windu's intention to harden us the way that, let us say, Darth Maul was forged by Darth Sidious. The decision to select this system was necessitated by the desperate situation at the time. Arguably however the effect was essentially the same. The four of us may be much more resilient that would be normal for Jedi our age. As the daughter of Darth Vader, whom we knew as Anakin, you're probably only years younger than any of us."

"If you would please, I would appreciate it very much if you would only refer to my father as Anakin," Leia softly said. "He was forgiven for the many terrible things he did. Although he has made himself most available to my brother, he also serves as one of my mentors. Please remember that he served on the Jedi Council with Master Windu. Having fully renounced his allegiance to the Dark Side, he serves there still. Perhaps I should advise you that you are probably about to encounter him in that capacity."

"Your father maimed our Master," Mardra replied. "Palpatine would have died before actually becoming the Emperor if it hadn't been for your father's treasonous interference. Master Windu had defeated Darth Sidious and was about to slay him when Darth Vader intervened. Only if our master instructs us so will we refrain from the use of his Sith title."

"He killed Younglings," Mox added, affirming his sister's sentiment. "This is what he was doing while we were fleeing from the capital. He'd have killed us if we'd been there."

"I was unaware of this," Leia honestly admitted. "And it is not my intention to instruct you, since I am a simple Padawan. Let us rather agree with the will of your Master in this matter. Perhaps it was out of place for me to say anything at all. I'm very sorry."

"We accept your apology," Xan replied, anxious for a resolution to the disagreement. "We understand that you might have no knowledge of the evils that were commented by your father."

"That is not entirely true," Leia rejoined as she unleashed a concussive wave at yet another approaching predator. "For many years, my brother and I did not know anything about our father. We didn't even know about each other. And Anakin was also obviously unaware of us. Right before meeting Luke for the first time, I was captured and held as a prisoner on the first Death Star. My father performed the interrogation. I've still got scars from that encounter."

Priella actually stopped in her tracks, turning to ask, "And yet, you forgive him?"

"It was only because of the miracle of a transformed life that he transformed into the Force as he did," Leia evenly answered. "His repentance was no ruse. How then could I call myself clean if I didn't rise to reciprocate? I didn't grow up on a jungle world, but I've served as a diplomat all my life. There can be no permanent peace without repentance, reconciliation, redemption, and restoration. And eternity is the ultimate arbiter. Perhaps your Master was taken from you before he'd taught you these truths. Refusal to forgive is a path to the Dark Side."

While Leia was willing to pacify the foursome in specific areas, in order to reinforce the friendship that seemed to be forming, truthfulness demanded that she finally make a stand. The warrior princess was not about to let herself be cowed by the callousness of her companions, no matter how essential was their support. Such a shortcoming in their discernment represented a serious cause for concern, because it might ultimately impact their ability to provide effectual support when it came to restoring the Republic. It was no longer a disagreement about simple aesthetics.

"We understand what you are saying," Xan finally responded when no else seemed able to answer. "And I am sure the Jedi Council will have more to say about the subject."

Raising his hand to make certain he had everybody's attention and to preempt any further inflammatory remarks, he silently indicated that they should resume their ascent. They quietly continued up the trail. And the further up the pathway they progressed, the more completely exposed it became. With progressively less concealment from behind which to launch their ill-fated assaults, attacks by predators became far less frequent.

From just outside the entrance to the cave, the view was stunningly spectacular. It reminded Leia somewhat of the forest moons of Yavin and Endor but more savage. She wondered how the Ewoks were doing, which resulted in a disturbing perception that they were somehow in danger. Since she believed the Empire was unaware of their aid to the Alliance, she could not imagine why there would be any plans against them. Not wanting the distraction of such a concern, since she now needed to instruct her escorts in how to commune with the Council members who had transformed into to Force, she dismissed the apprehension. The Ewoks were not the only ones in danger, and she needed to stay focused on the business at hand. Only by accomplishing her mission could she minimize the loss of life – on whatever world.

"We usually light torches, which is why we installed the grating system," Priella said. "But our lightsabers should provide ample light for the occasion."

At first, her statement seemed mysterious. But as they slowly progressed down the passage, Leia soon saw that long, vertical slots had been carefully hewn in the rock face on either side of the tunnel. And as the last person in their procession, which was Priella, passed by each set of slots, she would turn and secure the passageway behind them.

From out of one of the vertical slots, she slid a grating so that it extended all the way across the tunnel. Then, using hewn access ports, which were located on the side of the grating away from the tunnel's mouth and adjacent to the slots, she reached in and used a spike to secure the grating in its place. As Leia correctly surmised, the narrow access ports led back to places where it was possible to secure the spike all the way across the vertical slot. This made it impossible for anyone, or anything, coming down the tunnel to reach the locking mechanism. There were three such gates in series.

"Of course, since the gratings are made out of wood and only lashed together where their beams connect, it might be possible for something to chew right through them," Xan said in response to Leia's questioning look. "But while it was engaged in that effort, we'd be shooting it with poison-tipped darts and arrows. If it somehow made it to the last gate, we'd be sticking spears through the openings and stabbing it too. On the outside chance that anything could get through all that, there's a place at the back of the chamber where we've tunneled almost all the way outside. If we really had to, we could quickly excavate our way out of here."

"That's good to know," Leia impishly answered.

"Right," Xan laughed in reply, unable to resist her jest. "We used wood gates instead of stone slabs because we usually employ firelight in here. We needed the tunnel to stay ventilated. Now that we've got lightsabers, thanks to you, even that's no longer a worry."

"I see," Leia said, nodding. "If we're secure, we'd probably better get started. I don't doubt that you're all anxious to speak with Master Windu. Are you ready?"

When they all indicated that they were; she taught them the required technique for communing with those who had transformed into the Force. Not surprisingly, they were very adept students. In a matter of minutes, they were conferring with the Jedi Council. Master Windu was obviously overjoyed at being reunited with his previous apprentices.

"The day for which I'd been preparing you has finally arrived," he somberly said as he turned suddenly serious. "We have an opportunity to bring the Empire to an end. But you must be ready to do whatever is required."

"We are," Xan assured him. But then, he asked, "Is it true that Anakin has resumed his place on the Jedi Council?"

"He is currently communing with Luke, but yes," Windu replied, aiming a measuring look at the man. "He finally accomplished himself what he prevented me from doing. It is of course extremely unfortunate that the Emperor had already engineered a successor. But tell me, why do you ask?"

"Leia has respectfully requested that we all refrain from using his Sith designation," Xan carefully responded.

"More than anyone else possibly could, I understand why you feel the way you do," Windu replied. "But her request is reasonable. Anakin did renounce the Dark Side. Even now, he is helping to undo all the evil that he enabled. Blame the deception, not the one who was so deceived. What she told you is true. In the face of repentance, the failure to forgive is a path to the Dark Side. Perhaps I should have spent more time cautioning you about the consequences of a vengeful attitude. Killing unnecessarily is the suicide of the soul. Only the purity of true repentance can cancel out a transgression, and the sacrifice of restitution may also be required. Do not look upon the Jedi as the ultimate instruments of justice. Destroyers bring destruction down upon themselves. If you cannot be satisfied with your privileged position as preservers of the peace; know that only ambassadors of reconciliation serve a higher calling, and aspire to such a highly honored office instead."

"Thank you, Master Windu," Xan said, bowing. After that, each of the other three got a chance to spend a little time with their old instructor. He was quick to remind them that they now enjoyed such access whenever the need arose. He concluded by encouraging them to accompany Leia to the capital and help her in whatever way they could. They all promised to do so. As Windu and the phantasmal figures faded, a troubling rumble could be heard from outside the cave. Its reverberations echoed ominously down the length of the rocky corridor.

"Oh no," gasped Mox. By the emerald illumination of his lightsaber's bright blade, his green skin looked almost ghastly.

"What's wrong?" demanded Leia, breathlessly. "What was that?"

"Get the cruiser on your communicator!" Xan yelled. "If you can't get through to them from down here, go to the mouth of the cave just as quickly as you can! Tell them to take off!"

As Leia tried to comply, she discovered that she had no signal in the cavern; and as she raced back toward the entrance to the cave, she shouted over her shoulder, asking, "What's happening? Why do they have to take off?"

Priella who had come with her to open the gates replied, "The storms on this planet can strike without warning. And their intensity can be almost beyond belief. The river will be struck with a flash flood, which is why the bank is so wide in many places. You've got to tell your friends to get out of there."

"Shouldn't I just have them come and pick us up?" Leia asked as her brow furrowed with an uncharacteristic frown.

"There's no time," Priella replied, panting as she systematically slid each of the three gates aside in swift succession. "By the time you hear thunder, it's already too late. They need to climb above the atmosphere just as quickly as they possibly can. They'll have to return for us after the storm has passed. We should be safe enough here, but they need to lift off immediately."

Using Force-induced speed to sprint the rest of the way to the entrance, Leia finally succeeded in getting a signal; and as she heard the voice of Admiral Ackbar, she yelled, "Admiral, get your ship out of there! You need to initiate an emergency climb! Stay above the cloud ceiling until the storm has passed! Do it now!"

A few moments later, Leia saw the _Forthright_ streaking into the sky. Lightning licked the atmosphere all around it. It barely evaded the funneling fingers of cyclonic cloud that reached out as if they were actually eager to ensnare the escaping spacecraft. The very air appeared angry in a way she had never before observed. The sky looked surreal, as if it were only an animator's approximation of how such a storm should probably appear. The upper extent of the horizon was altering incessantly, making it seem as if the jungle below it were changing as well.

In reality, it was. Torrents of tornadic force were ripping vegetation from the verdant canopy and flinging it into the air. Caught in the updrafts, debris floated like butterflies on the unbelievable breeze. The sky seemed practically packed with particulate. Peculiarly, however, some of the suspended substance in the nightmarish atmosphere seemed to be moving with premeditated intent. It did not seem obedient to the wildly whipping wind.

Carefully touching Priella on the shoulder with one hand and pointing with the other, Leia asked, "What are those?"

Before Priella could reply or even ascertain the answer, Leia's mastery of the Force enabled her to identify the quantity in question. The airborne mass was composed of the same insect-like creatures before which she had been forced to retreat while making her way along the river. The storm's sudden onset had stopped them from returning to their customary confines. As a consequence, they were now seeking a substitute shelter. And they were heading directly toward the cave.

"I've got a very bad feeling about this," Priella finally replied. "As fast as you can, get back inside!"

Leia needed no further encouragement, having seen the approaching invaders quite close-at-hand. Turning, she raced back into the cave. Following close behind her, Priella carefully closed and fastened each gate in series. Leia shouted down the tunnel, alerting the other occupants to the impending arrival of the insect-like intruders. The trio brought their blowguns, bows, and quivers; but Leia believed they would all have the unfortunate occasion to use their lightsabers too. Having the external armor of arthropods, it seemed a forgone conclusion that the invaders would all be particularly resistant to such primitive projectiles – even if the tips were dipped in poison.

The one advantage, possessed by the quintet, was the fact that the tightness of the tunnel prevented the invaders from approaching the gates with more than a few soldiers at a time. This maximized their opportunity for firing at the few in front. In order for them to chew through the bindings, the intruders all had to hold their heads at specific angles. Between this and the arrows of the archers being guided by the Force, the first ones to reach the outer gate were quickly deprived of their eyesight, rendering their initial efforts extremely imprecise. And since the poison had been introduced so close to their brains, they quickly succumbed.

But their desperation was beyond belief. The cadavers were shoved aside with such force that they were severed in the process, and they were quickly replaced. The insects were also astonishingly adept at digging. Exposed to the fury of the storm, the ones that had been trapped outside the tunnel were widening the entrance. And they were doing it quite industriously, while the ones inside the tunnel were also trying to widen its walls.

Despite the diligence of the defense, the first gate finally fell. The insect-like soldiers surged forward, falling with ferocious fervor upon the second obstacle. Since the targets were now closer, it was possible for the archers to strike them with even more force. The determination of the intruders however more than made up for the seemingly incidental attrition. It was like picking pebbles out of an avalanche and hoping, thereby, to stave off its ultimate approach.

Echoing down the tunnel, from somewhere outside the entrance, they began to hear a sound that was curiously similar to the reports of their arrows striking against the armor of the invaders. In response, the mass of soldiers surged forward again. It seemed to be of no consequence that there was really nowhere for them to go. Something outside was driving them desperately forward. Leia looked questioningly to her four friends.

"Hail, and very big stones by the sounds of it," Priella explained.

All at once the second gate shattered, unable to endure any longer the pressure of the biomass that was mindlessly pushing against it. Spinning shards of its aggressively sundered structure ricocheted off the walls, but the sounds were lost amidst the rush of the advancing army. Blinking in disbelief, everybody quickly got their lightsabers ready.

"This last gate is the strongest of all!" Xan yelled above the noise of the approaching throng. "But they're probably going to thrash when we stab them through the spaces, so be sure your lightsabers do not slash the grating! Our weapons could accidentally make very short work of this last line of defense!"

"Didn't you say there was a way we could get out of here if we had to?" Leia asked.

"Yes, but I don't like our odds in a hailstorm! And large predators will have laid claim to every alternative place of shelter!" Xan shouted in reply just as the first of the intruders reached the third gate. But as he and the others stabbed between the grating's squares just as quickly as they could, and he realized how swiftly they would soon be overcome, he looked at Priella and cried, "Do it!"

"Come with me!" Priella shouted at Leia, and then she quickly receded back into the blackness of the cave. Leia followed after the glow of her companion's blue blade.

Reaching the large chamber at the end of the tunnel, Leia scrambled up the steps of the roughhewn stairway that extended upward from its furthest end. The excavation very intentionally ended just short of the surface. Priella had already situated herself and was preparing to plunge her bright blade into the interposing stone slabs, almost immediately overhead. Leia could see that they would have to employ levitation to protect themselves from the descending debris, but she was also aware of a safer and speedier alternative.

"Wait! Come back down from there!" Leia said with unintended authority. And then, as Priella complied anyway, she softly explained, "There may be a simpler solution."

Holding her lightsaber to the side, using it only to illuminate their surroundings, Leia motioned for Priella to stand across from her so that they were both facing the blockage. Holding up her hand, she indicated that she was preparing to release a concussion wave in the Force. Priella did likewise. The obstruction swiftly fell before their combined force.

The portal opened on some extremely wicked weather, but they were out of options. Priella turned and shouted to the others, telling them that their emergency escape route was ready. In the interim, Leia decided to use the opportunity to distinguish herself. She was the first to brave exposure to the inclement elements. The size of the hailstones had diminished somewhat, but being pelted by the little pellets was still unpleasant. Cringing, she crouched beneath the icy cascade and wincingly waited for the others to all emerge.

Because the mesh of the gratings was so finely knit, she had been afraid to use her blaster before. But now that it was a simple matter of needing to cover their escape, she pulled her weapon from its holster and waited to collapse the portal. Soon, all four of the others expeditiously emerged. She then continuously fired into the opening until she had reduced its edges to rubble and fused the fallen stones together. While she was finishing this, the strength of the hailstorm was steadily diminishing; but multiple vortices were still visible right from where they were standing.

Leia turned to Xan and asked, "What should we do now?"

He anxiously looked back over her shoulder in the direction of the tunnel's mouth as he unexpectedly answered, "Get to high ground, and just as quickly as we possibly can."

She needed no explanation. She could already hear the sounds of the approaching wings. Some of the swarm had still been outside and waiting to funnel their way into the protection of the passage. The use of the blaster had drawn their attention, and the fact that the hail had subsided was actually working to the inconvenience of the escapees. It was now necessary to meet the menace in the open, exactly what they had been hoping to avoid.

Propelled by their employment of the Force, they raced to the top of the bluff under which the cave system passed. Having achieved this objective, they spread themselves out across its crown. Leia used her blaster in an attempt to dissuade the intruders from completing their approach. It did not have the intended effect. It seemed as if the rest of the swarm took offense instead to the killing of its constituents. Everybody readied their lightsabers. They did not have long to wait.

Overlooking the verdant jungle, and against the backdrop of the swirling sky, the five defenders engaged the nightmarish swarm. The flashes of their singing lightsabers were practically indistinguishable from the fingers of lightning that were falling on the forest all around them. Even though the winged Geonosians had not participated in the conflict in their abhorrent arena, the scene was nevertheless evocative of that notorious encounter as the five apparently overwhelmed Jedi refused to yield to such superior numbers.

Mox and Mardra closed ranks, fighting back to back, as did Xan and Priella. With a blaster in one hand and her lightsaber in the other, Leia became the critical third point of their impenetrable triangle. The falling carcasses of the insect-like attackers rolled down the embankment like some kind of morbid avalanche, coming to rest amidst the crusted covering of steaming hailstones. The haze, being produced by their evaporation, made the entire forest look like some kind of battlefield as the report of Leia's blaster fire was lost in the throbbing thunder of the extraordinarily tumultuous storm.

Predators began to appear at the bottom of the bluff, drawn by the deluge of death. One of the cyclonic columns was approaching their position, and the swarm was starting to relent. But now that carnivores were also encircling them, it seemed as if there would be no opportunity for the Jedi to retreat. The coming of the funnel cloud finally dismissed all that remained of the airborne attackers. The few survivors violently veered away from its appallingly proximate presence. Suddenly understanding the traumatizing imminence of the tornado, the scavengers on the assaulted side of the rise all scattered. A pathway had opened for Leia and her four friends, but in the most improbable and undesirable of directions.

"We have to retake the cave!" Xan cried as he leapt from the pinnacle of the bluff.

Master Windu would have been proud of their prodigious deed as the other four all followed. As if the force of gravity were of no effect, though the uprising winds may have aided them as well, they all arrived with seemingly impossible impunity at the opening to the tunnel. Brandishing their lightsabers, they powerfully proceeded to secure again the same environs from which they had so recently fled. This time, Leia had no reservations about using her blaster. Even if she collapsed the tunnel upon their enemies, they would still have an alcove in which to shelter from the storm.

Understanding that this was indeed an option, Leia deliberately allocated part of her firepower to the stone ceiling. The shards of shrapnel that erupted in response to those discharges were almost as effectual against their armored opponents as the laser blasts would have been themselves. The underground channel choked, first with the fallen and then with its own catastrophic collapse. Industrious diggers though they were, it was very easy to see that the incarcerated insects would not be able to escape before the twister had swept by their position. The sound of it was like the engines of a Corellian cruiser.

The whirlwind buffeted the bluff for a few moments and then moved on, but the sky was still undulating like a living thing. There was no safe place for a cruiser under such a precarious canopy. They were back to waiting out the storm. They were now without the guardianship of the gates; but the power pack in Leia's blaster still had almost half of its charge and, equipped as they were with lightsabers, the five of them made a formidable fighting force anyway. They sat just inside the entrance to the passageway and surveyed the devastated jungle lying before them. The traumatic transformation, which had been brought about by the violence of the storm, was almost beyond Leia's ability to believe.

The river, which had looked so serene in its initial setting, was now a raging torrent of whitewater. From their position within the base of the bluff, they could just discern the place where it swept into the surging sea. It was rife with refuse. Plant stalks the size of logs littered its surface. Creatures could be seen clinging to some of these. Others were already dead, their bobbing bodies no longer making any efforts to orient themselves in the storm-swollen watercourse. Many of the now lifeless forms were unknown to Leia.

"If the beach is so dangerous, where do you suggest we go to get picked up by the cruiser? It really doesn't look like there even is a riverbank anymore," Leia asked, adding the comment. After all the excitement, she was almost desperate to make conversation. However, another question suggested itself to her and, before anyone could respond to her initial inquiry, she asked, "And what happened to the ship that brought you here?"

"We scavenged it a long time ago," Mox replied. "It wasn't flight-worthy anymore. As for the pickup point, we should probably go back to the top of the bluff. But not just yet."

"I'm not in that big a hurry," Leia jokingly said. "After all, we've got such a nice view."

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" asked Mardra, in the same teasing tone. "Makes me almost sad to be leaving this place."

"You'll get over it, I'm sure," Mox lightheartedly replied, chuckling. "And probably just as soon as you board the cruiser."

"You always were the sentimental type," she chidingly replied, elbowing him lightly in the ribs in response to which he of course feigned serious injury. Everyone laughed.

"I think the weather will clear up pretty soon," Xan optimistically observed. Turning to Leia, he explained, "The storms often blow out as fast as they came in, especially if they come from inland like this one did. The storms that come in from the sea usually give us more forewarning, but they're worse than this and take much longer to move by."

He had no sooner than said this when a shaft of sunlight suddenly stabbed through an abrupt opening in the easing atmosphere. The clouds quickly began losing their sickly coloration as the source of the disturbance was swept out to sea. Leia had never seen a super-cell thunderstorm before. From its backside, the height of the immense wall cloud was almost beyond belief. It was difficult to accept that her four friends had lived most of their lives in close proximity to such storms.

"You can probably go ahead and contact the cruiser," Xan suggested. "All they have to do is follow your signal down. If we just take our time climbing back up the bluff, they'll probably get there about the same time we do."

Looking warily around, just in case any of the opportunistic predators saw the break in the weather as an occasion to attack, they abandoned the enclosure. The trickiest part of the ascent was provided by the wetness of the terrain. They saw many animals, but all of them were occupied with the remains that had been left by the previous battle. And by the time they mounted the summit, the shining descent of the _Forthright_ could be seen in the quickly clearing sky. Never before in all her life had Leia been so elated about seeing any ship, not even the _Millennium Falcon_.

She was quite surprised when Londle and Tysha ushered them aboard the hovering cruiser; but Londle explained, "All along, the plan was for the _Forthright_ to take you down to the planet. They wanted me on one of the other cruisers in case we had company."

"I take it then that you're expertise in infiltrating Imperial systems didn't end up being required," Leia impishly postulated.

"Fortunately not," Londle laughingly agreed. As everyone strapped in and the cruiser headed back toward space, he continued, "When the prospect presented itself, since the _Forthright_ had to leave the atmosphere, my wife and I asked to transfer over. I thought it would be much easier to plan our strategy for Coruscant if we were all together. But I am happy to see that you were successful, despite the obviously inclement conditions down there. Would you please introduce us to your new friends?"

"Londle and Tysha Eisley," Leia said with suitable ceremony and, indicating each of the foursome in turn as she gave their names, continued, "it gives me great contentment to acquaint you with Jedi Knights Xan, Priella, Mox, and Mardra. And it pleases me even more to tell you that they've already agreed to help us with the campaign on Coruscant."

Once the _Forthright_ had rejoined the rest of the cruisers, and they had all made the jump into hyperspace, Leia took her new friends forward and introduced them to the rest of the crew. Because of their substantial distance from the capital, they would now have plenty of time to clean up, eat, rest, and generally recover from their ordeal on the jungle world of Kappelian. However, Leia was well aware that all they had endured might really have only constituted training for their upcoming operation. But she was very reassured to have seen all the jungle Jedi in action already. Each certainly possessed the prowess she would have expected from the Padawans of Jedi Master Mace Windu.

When they reassembled later, before launching into their discussion of how best to accomplish their objective on Coruscant, Leia thought it advisable to bring the others up to date on everything that had happened since their exile; at least, as far as she knew it herself. C-3PO helped her fill in some of the absent details, as did Londle Eisley.

As soon as the _Forthright_ had made its jump into hyperspace, Admiral Ackbar came back to join his passengers; and with the very first substantial pause in Leia's recitation, he good-naturedly observed, "I'm so glad to have you back aboard, Princess. Your droid woke up and thought he'd been sold into service aboard a spaceship again. We were at our wits' end trying to reassure him. I guess something like that happened to him before. He says he woke up on a space freighter and couldn't even remember how he'd gotten there. I guess that must be why he seems to hate spaceflight so much, poor guy."

Everybody laughed at the Admiral's comical condolence. C-3PO obviously believed the concern to be genuine, even thanking the Admiral. This elicited even more laughter, which the protocol droid did not seem to understand. Leia was so winded from laughing by the time she was finally able to return to her narration that she was nearly gasping at the end of each sentence. She was glad for the continued assistance of the others in her storytelling, both mechanical and human. Even Tysha found opportunities to contribute.

As she ended the history lesson, she posed a query of her own, asking, "I thought it was common for a Master to have only one apprentice, so isn't it a bit strange for you all to have been trained by Jedi Master Windu?"

"Part of that relates to the necessities of the situation," Xan replied. "There was only one Jedi Master between us. Truthfully, it was usual for Younglings to all begin under a common instructor, only later to be paired with their own specific mentors. But even the Sith have apparently engaged in training several students, and not out of such necessity. Darth Sidious seems to have engaged in serious overlapping concerning the tutelage of Dooku and Darth Maul. Of course, Jedi Masters have the special distinction of not using their students to eliminate each other. But it sounds to me like Palpatine was even trying to take on Luke as an apprentice while your father was still serving as his subordinate."

"I meant no offense by the question," she was quick to reassure them. "It's just that I don't think even the Jedi Council really knows how many will respond to the changing of the transponder code. I suppose it would be overly optimistic to think that there could be other pockets of Padawans out there. I'm just hoping there's a positive response. It's no small thing we're trying to accomplish, and we can use all the help we can get."

"I hope Jedi Master Skywalker is able to return and lend his support," Londle added.

"We wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for his determination to intercede on our behalf," Tysha agreed, squeezing her husband's hand. Looking intently at Leia, she said, "And I'd have almost certainly ended up a widow on Utapau if it hadn't been for you. We hope only the very best for you and your brother."

"He certainly made very short work of Darth Maul; or, rather, his clone," Londle said. "And he now has that dreadful, double-ended lightsaber. I don't care how much younger the new Emperor is, I don't think he stands much of a chance against Luke."

"I'm afraid Darth Chrysalis does have one serious advantage," Leia softly admitted, even though she was very appreciative of the attempt that was being made to reassure her. Looking at her four new friends, she explained, "I didn't mention this before, since I don't like thinking about it; but this is why I'm so anxious to see how many Jedi respond. If the Clone Emperor should survive his encounter with Luke, we'll be forced to deal with him ourselves. Unfortunately, his chances of winning all such contests may hinge on the fact that the Kaminoans apparently increased his midi-chlorian count, and considerably. He told Luke that he's now the most powerful being that has ever lived."

"Whatever," said Mox, astounding her with his surprisingly dismissive attitude. "But there's still something you're forgetting."

"What's that?" she asked, obviously mystified.

"As the children of the Chosen One, you and your brother must now be fulfilling the prophecy," he said, his voice resonating with the sound of reason. "Artificially increased midi-chlorian counts aside, the two of you are destined to bring balance to the Force."

**Chapter Six: The Cleansing of the Temple**

Coruscant: once the capital of the Galactic Republic and now the infamous seat of the Imperial Throne. Each time Leia set her eyes upon the planet, she was struck by just how overwhelming was its visage even from the distant vantage point of outer space. Its entire spherical surface was so unbelievably industrialized that the soaring silhouettes of its respective commercial regions could be observed even from orbit. As a diplomat, she had visited many exotic worlds, but none of them presented such a patently mechanized panorama. Nothing in her experience could be compared to Coruscant.

With all the interstellar comings and goings, Imperial and commercial, she knew the number of people on the planet at any given time tended to fluctuate crazily. But all such nomadic behavior notwithstanding, no less than five hundred billion sentient beings were known to call Coruscant their home; and except for a comparatively small percentage of the population, this also represented the number of inhabitants that had been essentially enslaved by the Empire. More than she desired to see any of her loved ones alive again or even to survive herself, she longed to deliver the downtrodden of all the worlds where the perfidy of Palpatine had prevailed. The hope of her heart was to do nothing less than bring liberation to a galaxy that had been beguiled into forfeiting its freedom, even at the cost of her life. She returned her attention to the heated discussion that was taking place between Londle Eisley and Admiral Ackbar.

"I'm sorry, but there's just no way around it," Londle was saying. "The _Forthright_ and maybe a couple of the other cruisers can make planetfall together. The others all need to remain in orbit and engage the orbital platforms. Using my Imperial codes, I'm sure I can fool one of them into letting those ships descend; but once the first platform is attacked, the Imperial operators on the surface will close the shields against further incursion."

"Ground forces are certain to be at least as much of a concern as their space-based defenses," Ackbar argued. "Even the compliment of three cruisers might not make much of a difference in assisting the infiltration of the Jedi Temple. If Princess Leia is unable to complete her mission, this will all have been for nothing."

"As I'm sure you're aware, Admiral," Londle patiently replied, "those platforms are as able to bombard the surface as they are to deter an interstellar attack. It's imperative that we eliminate them. They effectively hold Coruscant as their captive. It will do no good for Leia to force her way into the Jedi Temple if someone on an orbital platform just blows it away while she's inside it. As long as there is communication between the platforms and the shield operators on the surface, the danger of such a bombardment remains too real. In my opinion, we should drop the Jedi, and as many of our soldiers as we can spare, as close to the Jedi Temple as we can get them; and then, we should use the three cruisers to destroy the shield generators for that sector. The rest of the fleet will have to eliminate the orbital platforms."

"What about the other shield generators?" Admiral Ackbar pressed. "As long as they remain functional, the rest of the surface will be closed to space. As you pointed out, just as soon as they realize that the platforms are being attacked, the shield operators on the surface are certain close off the areas above their respective parts of the super-city. How do you recommend that we deal with them?"

"They'll still be vulnerable to ground attack," Londle timidly answered. "Once word of the rebellion spreads, maybe we won't even have to concern ourselves with them. There is also the possibility of using the underground access-ways, between the sections of the city, to slip in strike-teams. At full power, those city shields will even stop ground traffic."

"With all those shields operating at full power, there will be incredibly intense storms on the surface wherever they intersect," Ackbar argued. "It's not like the Storm Troopers won't anticipate an attack through the connecting tunnels. They may decide to demolish them in order to help seal their perimeters. They may even wait until they have detected our soldiers inside."

"Ultimately, this planet may have to be won back a sector at a time," Londle replied. "But I still wouldn't discount the resourcefulness of its citizens. While they're policing the perimeters of their respective sectors, the Storm Troopers will also have enemies at their backs. And let us not forget that they'll have to defend those broad boundaries while also protecting the shield generators. Surely, they won't be able to do both indefinitely. It's not like they're going to be resupplied."

"Perhaps you're right," Ackbar disappointedly agreed. "I was just hoping for a much more expeditious solution. The longer it takes to secure the capital, the greater the risks of collateral losses. The emancipation of Coruscant could produce a cascade effect. But before anything like that can happen, it needs to be effectively freed. As long as pockets of Imperial oppression actually remain, the ultimate advantage of a victory here won't be realized."

"Admiral, sir, I'm receiving some very interesting transmissions," the communication officer, Jarma, interjected. "It seems that the Galactic Congress has been recalled. Quite a few of the ships on approach are of diplomatic designation. This helps us, doesn't it?"

"Perhaps in a number of ways," Londle replied, before Leia could answer. "Admiral, I think we should contact the Prefect's cruiser and have him request an approach path, on behalf of his entire delegation. It would save my codes for the assault on the platforms. I already uploaded them to the computers on every cruiser in our fleet. Of course, that will mean that his will have to be one of the two cruisers that go with us. But after all, he is a diplomat, not a soldier. And I would contend that his greatest contribution could be made on the surface."

"I agree," Admiral Ackbar decidedly answered. Turning to the communication officer, he then said, "Put me through to the Prefect's cruiser."

While the Supreme Commander of the Coalition was having his conference with the Ambassador from Saleucami, Priella apprehensively turned to Leia and said, "I don't get it. Why would the Clone Emperor recall the Galactic Congress? What could conceivably be the advantage for him in that?"

"I'm not sure," Leia pensively admitted. "But I have a very bad feeling about this."

"You must not be the only one," the senior scanning technician, Uti, replied. "Quite a few ships from the diplomatic delegations are remaining in orbit while the ambassador's craft makes the descent alone. Maybe they're supposed to provide options for extracting their representative if things go really wrong. But that means our other cruisers won't be the only ones left in orbit. That's sure to make them seem much less conspicuous."

"This whole thing is just getting easier by the minute," Mox chuckled. "Maybe by the time we get down there, they'll have the red carpet rolled out for us as well."

"Somehow, I really don't think Leia gave us these nice lightsabers just to help us get off Kappelian," Mardra curtly commented as she nudged him good-naturedly. "Although I suppose I wouldn't be too terribly disappointed if we didn't end up having to use them."

"Speak for yourself," Xan replied. "Those Storm Troopers stopped being servants of the Republic decades ago. Even if Darth Chrysalis is destroyed, they're not going to just lay down their arms. They'll keep fighting until the last one is dead. I hope Londle is right about the inhabitants emulating our example and rising up in resistance. If they can't win back their respective sectors in short order, I'm afraid they're likely to all find themselves being held hostage by some incredibly desperate soldiers. While we certainly have some unexpected advantages going for us; things could easily turn really ugly very quickly."

"The Prefect's ship is now alongside, as is the cruiser with the largest compliment of ground soldiers," Jarma announced. "We've been given clearance to make our descent."

"Advise the other two cruisers to follow us in," Admiral Ackbar ordered. "And tell the rest of the fleet to wait until we're well inside the radius of the shield before starting their assault."

Everyone watched the unknowingly waiting world as its angle in the viewing screen abruptly altered. Flanked by a formidable pair of spacecraft that were both more massive than frigates, the _Forthright_ began its descent into the atmosphere of Coruscant. Not one of the rebels failed to recognize that this was exactly what they had dreamt of for years.

"Fortunately, the Jedi Temple isn't that far from where we're expected to land," the chief navigational officer, Khyzo, offhandedly observed. "And with an all-out space war erupting overhead, the deviation in our descent may not even be immediately detected. We could be on the ground before there's actually a response."

"So much the better," Uti replied. And then, he added, "If the soldiers can disembark quickly enough, we might all get away with touch-and-go landings. We could conceivably claim that the atmospheric discharges and the establishment of the shield interfered with our ability to receive the beacon. If so, we could all be on course for the shield generator before anyone's aware of what we're doing."

"Jarma, as soon as the shield goes up behind us, contact the tower and them we've lost the beacon," Admiral Ackbar instructed the communication officer. "Tell them we are going to divert to the nearest large, open area; otherwise, we run the risk of colliding with other ships on similar approach paths. Send across to our escorts and tell them what we are going to do."

"With pleasure, Admiral," Jarma excitedly answered while the sprawling skies above Coruscant buffeted, as they embraced, the three swiftly descending cruisers.

Only moments after Khyzo announced that all three ships were within the boundary of the shield, Uti exclaimed that the rest of the craft, comprising the Rebel Coalition, had already engaged the closest of the orbital platforms. Almost instantly, the ray shield was erected in response. The glow of its iridescence stretched across the sky, but above and behind the three cruisers. They had effectively penetrated the Imperial perimeter. Jarma quickly contacted the tower and informed its technicians of the make-believe emergency.

"I've located a big open area between the Imperial Parliament Building and the Jedi Temple," said Uti. "It's not large enough to facilitate setting down all our ships. We'll have to execute our touch-and-go landings in swift succession. I'm sending the coordinates to the navigation and the communication consoles."

"I've got them," Khyzo confirmed. "I'm adjusting course. We're pretty close already."

"Our escorts have received them as well," Jarma added. "They're following us in."

Still strapped into her seat just behind Uti and looking over his shoulder, Leia said, "The Jedi Temple is nowhere near the shield generator. It's actually a pretty innocuous landing site. You may not earn any Imperial attention until you lift back off and fly in the wrong direction."

"Yeah!" Mox laughed. "I'm pretty sure somebody will notice that!"

"Admiral," Jarma suddenly said. "The tower technicians have calculated our course and they're advising us that the area towards which we're heading is not large enough to facilitate setting all three ships down. They are instructing us to proceed along a different vector. How do you want me to respond, sir?"

"Send a garbled reply," Admiral Ackbar replied. "Just be creative. You've only got to buy us a few more minutes. We're coming up on the drop-zone already."

Few of the rebels had ever seen the capital. It was difficult for them to comprehend a city of such planetary size. And up close, it was even more inconceivable, as metallic structures rose like mountains all around the descending ships. The coming of the three cruisers did interfere somewhat with hover-traffic. But the Jedi Temple was probably the least used structure in the entire city. The travelers on the nearby sky-lanes were easily and automatically rerouted as the ponderous spaceships assumed such extraordinarily unusual situations. Like dirigibles, the dreadnaughts each drifted down in succession to disgorge their unlikely issue. Night was falling, but it did little to hide the disembarkation.

After the purging of the Temple, the first affront of Anakin as Darth Vader, all of the confiscated weapons had been secured in an underground vault. Although it was really little more than a museum, several platoons of Storm Troopers rotated through watches in strategic locations all around and inside the basically abandoned building. Some were aware of the individuals who were illicitly disembarking in the unauthorized landing zone, so they rushed to intercept the interlopers. They encountered a quintet of lightsabers.

The ancient armament of those who ally themselves with the Force had rarely been seen in the capital over the last two decades; and then, only when wielded by one of the Sith. On uncommon occasions, Darth Sidious had elected to display his disappointment with someone in his command by summarily executing them in this fashion. It was more usual for both he and Darth Vader to kill directly through a lethal application of the Force, Vader with strangulation and the Emperor with his lightning. But lately, as assassination attempts had increased, the original Emperor had taken to executing his would-be killers publicly. To maximize the deterrent value of these merciless showpieces, Palpatine had starting using his lightsaber to perform vivisections on his helpless victims. Unbelievably, it did not stop the attempts.

The Storm Troopers were so intent on engaging the invaders, not one of them even thought about taking a shot at the departing cruisers. With their shields still down, due to their proximity to the prior passengers, it might have been possible to disable one of the dreadnaughts with a well-placed laser blast. But the rebels understood how immediately they needed to eliminate the witnesses to their arrival. After deflecting the initial barrage of blaster-fire, the Jedi used Force-induced speed to reach the surviving soldiers before any of them could use their communicators to convey news of the incursion.

The Storm Troopers were aware that the Jedi constituted the greatest threat. And as a result, a few of them focused their searing salvos only against their lightsaber-swinging opponents; but those that turned their weapons against the other rebels, instead, caused serious losses. The Jedi spread out, trying to deflect as many laser bolts as possible, but the Imperial positions were far too defensible to take without incurring terrible attrition.

Wading through a hail of deflected laser-blasts, the Jedi finally reached the enemy's strongholds. Unable to assail their seemingly indomitable attackers, the Imperial soldiers finally fell. But the rebels knew that only part of the Imperial forces had been eliminated. Many more remained; no small number of which were certain to be inside the Temple.

Londle had not been able to provide the necessary codes for gaining access to the ancient edifice. A search of the slain soldiers yielded no indications. They needed to get into the building before any attempt was made to contact the missing sentinels. It would have been easy to affect entry with lightsabers, but alarms would have been activated.

As they stood there and confronted the keypad, without the proper code, the jungle Jedi discussed the possibility of simply incurring the assault that the alarms would bring; but Leia maneuvered her way in front of the foursome and said, "Please, give me a few moments."

She could see now the wisdom of her instructors in explicitly training her to use the Force to deal with such electronic locks. It took her a minute to perform the manipulation; but as everyone else looked on, the access opened and the alarms remained silent. Her newfound friends gazed at her with sudden respect.

"Well done, Padawan Princess," said Priella. "Having already seen you in action, I'd say you're ready for the Jedi trials. I wonder if your spectral teachers can even make you a Master. If not, we may have to assume that honor ourselves."

"I still hold out hope that my brother will return to finish what he started," she said in reply. "But I wonder if it would now be wisest to leave our rebel friends to safeguard our exit. The transponder is in the much closer confines of the lower level, not a good place for a firefight. Lightsabers would provide the best response in such a confining location and offer less of an occasion for damaging the very device we're intending to employ."

There was general agreement on the adoption of this tactic. Leaving the rebels just inside the entrance, the five Jedi headed off into the expansive structure. It had not been possible to hide the bodies of the slain Storm Troopers. And it was only a matter of time before an unanswered radio-check evoked an aggressive investigation anyway. As the two groups took hopefully temporary leave of each other, Leia wondered out loud about the success of the _Forthright_ and its flanking cruisers. However, they decided not to run the risk of making contact since a rogue transmission from inside the Jedi Temple might be detected. They simply had to trust that their friends were doing well.

Admiral Ackbar had immediately instructed Khyzo to lay in a course directly towards the shield generator. He also had Jarma inform the flanking craft of his intrepid decision. The other two cruisers (the _Skyward_ and the _Exordium_) swiftly followed. Admiral Ackbar also deliberately declined from rising above the hover-lanes, knowing that the scattering speeders would interfere with anybody at the generator who was attempting to take aim against the encroaching cruisers. Some of the operators of the tiny vessels were unable to respond quickly enough to keep their vehicles from being flung aside by the shields of the enormous starships, but their emergency guidance systems all effectively prevented any subsequent collisions. The three cruisers began to appreciably close the distance to their objective as the screens on their bridges displayed the data on their destination.

With almost every Imperial ship having already been scrambled and sent into space, there was nothing of substantial size to oppose them. But there were numerous batteries scattered all around the shield generator, all of which were fully manned. And they would become progressively more concentrated in the area immediately around the target. The shields of the massive vessels all began to register impacts from the extremely powerful energy weapons. In truth however, the shielding that surrounded the dreadnaughts was far more formidable than anything the Imperial emplacements were actually designed to destroy since their defensive force field was supposed to prevent any ships of such size from directly engaging their emplacement. If the cruisers had been incapable of returning fire, they would have been in trouble. But that of course was not the case.

One by one, the batteries were obliterated. Admiral Ackbar allowed first the _Skyward_ and then the _Exordium_ to take the lead, making it possible for the most heavily assaulted ship to fall back and recycle its shields. But as they were about to finally accomplish their approach, the _Forthright_ resumed its position at the point of attack. When their scanners detected that the shield generator was itself also shielded, he ordered the entire armada to unleash a simultaneous assault. The field-generating facility flashed into nonexistence before their appreciative eyes. As it did, the shield above that sector of the ecumenopolis disappeared with it.

Various types of individuals could be seen as they came out from the places where they had been sheltering from the ferocious onslaught. They all applauded the victorious vessels. The technicians aboard the three ships shared their enthusiastic sentiments as cheers and backslaps were exchanged. Ultimately, Jarma announced that the _Exordium_ and the _Skyward_ were awaiting orders.

"Set course for the nearest orbital platform," Admiral Ackbar instructed Khyzo. "We need to help General Madine finish eradicating the Imperial canopy, then the citizens of Coruscant will really have something to celebrate."

Since the man had once been an Imperial officer himself, the admiral had carefully reserved Crix Madine for leading the engagement against the orbital stations, at least in his absence. Armed with a complete collection of current codes, thanks to Londle Eisley, and intrinsically understanding Imperial procedure, General Madine certainly seemed the best choice for assuring the campaign's success. It really represented just one more in a series of wise decisions on the part of the Admiral.

The moment the _Forthright_ and the other descending cruisers had passed within the perimeter of the planetary shield, General Madine initiated the Coalition's attack against the nearest of the orbital platforms. Because of how unanticipated was the assault and how unexpectedly non-responsive the station's defensive systems all suddenly became, the first of the platforms was very swiftly destroyed. The rebels fully expected an instant reprisal, but not one of the other ships in orbit initially reacted to the station's destruction; and so, the various craft of the Coalition set course for the next such station.

As the rebels began to close on the second station, some of the other vessels in the upper atmosphere finally did respond. Several of them were obviously Imperial resupply ships, already in route to some of the stations. Although they were not nearly as sizable as cruisers, they were all of stalwart Corellian construction and known to wield firepower far beyond what would be expected for ships of such diminutive dimensions. As a result, the rebels were understandably apprehensive. But for unknown reasons, it seemed as if some of the diplomatic craft were responding as well. This was at least as worrisome as it was unexpected.

The next few seconds proved to be pivotal. Some of the diplomatic ships moved to intercept the Imperial response. Others assumed approaches that clearly indicated their intent to aid in the assault against the next orbital station. The Coalition's leadership had never been certain of their ability to actually neutralize all the Imperial platforms, but they had also never dared to hope for the acquirement of such last-minute assistance. As the unforeseen allies moved to come alongside the ships of the coalition, they signaled their accommodating intentions.

Apparently understanding how their neighbor had been disabled, the technicians on the next station began changing their command codes. As a consequence, its defensive systems were still mostly online and able to respond to the approaching ships. Two craft were crippled in the exchange. One was a Coalition cruiser and the other was one of the diplomatic vessels. But before the life-support system of either ship had fully failed, most of the survivors were successfully transferred to the medical frigate. With the destruction of the second station, still more diplomatic craft joined the Coalition's cause.

Not all of the Imperial ships had been intercepted. They all rallied around the next in the series of orbital platforms. The resulting exchanges were very intense. A cruiser from the Coalition, the _Macrocosm_, was totally destroyed. All hands aboard were lost. Another of the rebel cruisers was badly damaged, as were two ships belonging to their consulate accomplices. These had to withdraw from the campaign, falling back to the vicinity of the medical frigate. Indeed, almost all the remaining craft of the expanded Coalition endured some kind of damage; but more diplomatic ships were arriving almost by the minute, and many were electing to engage in the conflict. For every ship the rebels lost, there was at least another to rapidly replace it. The third orbital station was also finally destroyed.

The airfields on the world below had not been entirely empty, and even the smallest of the remaining Imperial ships were soon scrambled. The advantages of Eisley's codes promptly evaporated, as the Imperial technicians, understanding the electronic incursion, wisely altered their encryptions. No longer was there a possibility of stealthy subterfuge. The space war had become a slugfest, a contest of numbers. The fourth orbital platform was finally eliminated, but only at extreme cost. Because they were leading the assault, many Coalition cruisers were lost.

Just when it looked like the rebels might not have the sufficient force to remove the final two stations, the three cruisers returned from their campaign on the surface. Aided by another influx of diplomatic dreadnaughts, the last orbital platforms were obliterated. The canopy had been successfully removed. Unfortunately however, only a single hole in the planetary force field had been created; but this was not an obstacle that could be circumvented from space. The ray shields over the encapsulated areas were still strong enough to withstand any bombardment.

"Now it's a ground war," Admiral Ackbar observed. Spinning to Jarma, he said, "Ask the diplomatic ships if they would kindly remain in orbit and advise us if anything Imperial comes out of hyperspace. I think the only actual soldiers are on our cruisers, so we need to take our ships to the surface. But be sure to extend my deep appreciation to our allies for their timely aid."

The various diplomatic delegations quickly agreed to comply with the Admiral's wise request. Having secured that assistance, Admiral Ackbar instructed the commanders of the remaining Coalition ships to execute a descent onto Coruscant. After two decades of undeserved exile, it was finally time for the rebels to call upon the capital. That historical importance was not lost on a single member of the Coalition's forces as they victoriously descended upon the supreme seat of Galactic authority.

Of course, every Imperial installation in the unshielded sector made ready to receive the invaders. A hail of weapon's fire erupted upward at the armada of descending ships. The overstrained shields of the cruisers barely got them below the cover of the buildings.

While it might seem reasonable to assume they then received a welcome that would suit such heroes, the streets were actually full of soldiers instead of well-wishers. Due to the elimination of the shield generator, the Storm Troopers had no central location left to defend. As yet, they were unaware of the incursion at the Jedi Temple. They emerged to engage the occupants of the unwelcome craft, converging upon the cruisers in numbers that took even the Admiral by surprise.

Turning to Jarma, Ackbar said, "Tell the commanders of all the cruisers to have their gunners set their weapons for stun, maximum dispersion. We'll have to use the batteries to clear the streets and make them safe for disembarkation. But it wouldn't be advisable for us to take chances on possibly bringing down any of the buildings. With the power of our scanners, we should be able to isolate the pockets of Storm Troopers. Tell them to advise us when their scopes are clear."

Minutes passed while he waited for the reports to come back and certify an at least temporary safety. Once they did, he ordered the disembarkation. All of the other cruisers opened their outer hatches and, in tight formations, the rebels streamed into the streets. Blaster fire quickly followed as the soldiers of the Coalition rushed to assume defensible positions. The _Forthright_ however continued on course for a prearranged landing zone.

Most of the cruisers had been able to set down at least somewhere in the vicinity of the Parliament Complex. Admiral Ackbar intentionally ordered the _Forthright_ to return to the same open area close to the Jedi Temple from which the strike force had previously deployed. The admiral wondered just how soon it might be wise for him to try and make contact with anyone on that team. He knew better than to take the risk of possibly giving away their presence by sending a signal that might be intercepted, but he also wanted to talk to Leia.

After taking their leave of the other rebels near the entrance to the Temple, she and the jungle Jedi had quietly worked their way into the structure. The way the building was laid out, it was not possible to go directly from the foyer to the lower level. It had been a couple of decades since a Jedi Master had walked its halls. If there had been alterations or improvements in the meantime, which might easily have happened while it was being converted into a museum, she was worriedly aware that the directions of her instructors might ultimately be proven inaccurate. Her hope was that all had simply been preserved.

They discovered a legend that displayed the structure's layout. Being after hours, it was not lit; but the safety lights and the illumination of their lightsabers proved adequate for the occasion. The schematic revealed no overt discrepancy with the descriptions she had received from her mentors. By activating their lightsabers however they apparently alerted a pair of nearby Storm Troopers to their presence, but concussive waves in the Force had rendered the watchmen unconscious before either could even squeeze off a shot. They were then silently dispatched and their bodies allocated to a pair of alcoves.

"We've still got some ground to cover before we can get below," Mardra softly said. "I wonder if we should maybe clear the upper levels first."

"The longer it takes for us to reset the transponder," Xan quietly replied, "the greater the chances of somebody observing our handiwork outside. Our escape route becomes useless if the building is surrounded whether there're still Storm Troopers inside or not."

"I was just thinking about the rebels at the entrance," Mardra explained. "But I guess you're right. We should go for the primary target and an expedited extraction."

"That sounds like military jargon," Leia whispered, quietly amused. "Didn't you grow up in a jungle?"

"You're insinuating that I actually grew up?" Mardra jokingly asked in reply.

Leia's snicker in response did not prevent her from perceiving that a second pair of Storm Troopers was moving down an adjacent hallway and exactly in their direction. As she motioned to the other Jedi, they all seemed to melt right into the shadows along the perimeter of the faintly lit passage. The Storm Troopers never even knew what hit them. Once again, the Jedi were careful to conceal the evidence of their lethal industry.

The closer they got to the staircase, which was indicated as the access to the lower level, the more apprehensive Leia became. She could not qualify her concern, nor could she adequately express the nature of her unease. The jungle Jedi seemed to share only a rumor of her restlessness. She had no idea why that would be. But the perception also seemed to remind her of something; she just was unable to place it. Because the others seemed so unaffected, she thought it might be prudent for her to take point. Pursing her lips, she cautiously led the way down the staircase.

In her mind, her mentors had shown her the way to the transponder controls. But as they reached the bottom of the stairway and she looked all around, nothing appeared as it had in the visions. Although the uppermost portion of the structure seemed to conform to the earlier images, as nostalgically recollected by her instructors, the lowest level bore almost no resemblance at all. This brought her up short.

"Everything's been changed down here. And I can't imagine why the Emperor would have done that," she said in a hushed whisper; and then, as she pointed into the darkling distance, she quietly concluded, "But the transponder control was in the outskirts, over in that direction."

As quietly as they could, they all moved forward. Leia's perception of peril increased with each step, but no cause for the disconcerting sensation suggested itself. The lowest level appeared to be completely unoccupied. The faint hum of machinery could be heard in the distance, but nothing more imposing than that. And the only lights to be seen were from the Archive indicators. The facility had obviously been extensively refashioned, and for reasons about which they could only guess, but it was at least still there. Leia thought that the Emperor had only maintained it so he could add to it as he expanded his realm.

Finally, they reached the corridor along the outskirts of the basement. With so much having been unexplainably altered, Leia had been afraid that they would find no trace of the transponder system. Almost unbelievably, it was still there. She asked the other Jedi to stand watch at the corners while she preformed the reprogramming. It took her longer to complete the task than she had anticipated, but she ultimately succeeded. If any other Jedi really remained, and they could by any means acquire the necessary transportation, they would soon be on their way to Coruscant. Despite her uneasiness, she smiled.

"Hopefully, we will soon be having some very helpful company," she softly said.

Turning from the transponder controls, she silently indicated to the others that it was time to exit the corridor. They noiselessly moved toward the place where the hall opened into the large, underground chamber. Seen from this vantage point, along the outskirts of the no-longer-quite-so-spacious-room, it was suddenly obvious to Leia that a substantial part of its original area had been paneled off and its many machines had been squeezed into a smaller space. The revelation made her worriedly wonder what precisely had been concealed within those walled-off areas. It was as if her insight had only been waiting for her to ask the right question.

She abruptly realized why the disturbing sensation had seemed so familiar, recalling the event during which she had experienced it before. It had happened on Utapau while she was leaping down to the lower landing platform. That is where she had encountered the aggressive attitude of the artificially intelligent battle droids for the first time. And this is what she was feeling.

Even though she definitely did not want to believe what her supernaturally extended senses seemed to be telling her, there could hardly be any doubt. And because they had come from Kappelian, the jungle Jedi had no experience with the mechanized menaces; which explained why none of them shared her perception. The manufactured mentalities of warrior robots were not networked with the Force in the same ways that those of living opponents would be. Since they had only just acquired their lightsabers, her friends had never even trained with drones. They were without any point of reference whatsoever for recognizing the peril that was upon them.

They had walked right into a trap. The inhuman awareness, which had impassively allowed them to enter, now had no intention of letting them leave. Even as she arrived at this disturbing deduction, the apparently seamless walls began to inexplicably separate, disgorging the death-dealing droids that had all but disappeared while Leia was only an infant. She barely had time to activate her lightsaber in response.

"Battle droids!" she cried as she raised her cryogenically arcing blade of glistening, green energy. As her friends reflexively followed her example, and just in time to deflect the first incinerating salvos, she intently added, "If at all possible, we should try to do this without damaging the Archives. The Republic may need them."

"Right! No problem!" Mardra sarcastically countered as she deftly deflected a laser blast into ceiling. "Would you like us to review the records, while we're at this, and see if there's anything checked out that's overdue?"

The bright rounds were coming at them with such speed that it was difficult to send them back at their originators, but Leia found the breath to respond, "Some of this could be reconstructed from navicomputers, but only the information about position and stellar motion. The historical and cultural references are at least as important. But since they're the result of centuries of research, they're approximately irreplaceable!"

"Spread out!" Xan interjected. "With all of us grouped together like this, there aren't enough options for deflecting their fire! Just don't get yourselves surrounded! Be aware of what's behind you!"

"Right," said Leia, turning and sprinting away. Lines of blazing bolts trailed her blur.

Leia's thoughts were moving almost as fast as she was. Her adoptive father and a few of the other statesmen finally figured out that Chancellor Palpatine had been behind the Separatists, the Droid Army, and even the Clone Wars themselves. After declaring himself Emperor, Darth Sidious apparently dispensed with the devices he had used to create the crisis and afford himself the opportunity to make his unparalleled power play. Although it was widely supposed that most of the automated army had been decimated during the wars, its final elimination had never actually been established.

She had to wonder if it was possible that the Emperor had somehow anticipated the end of his supply of Storm Troopers. Was his foresight so formidable that it had perhaps even revealed to him just how advantageous it would be to return to his old designs and prepare a robotic response? The idea was alarming. What if all the dangerous deeds, in which she and the rebels had engaged, were already taken into account in the insidious schemes of the Emperor? What if they had not even forced his hand but actually played right into it? She found herself suddenly assailed by such a storm of unexpected doubts.

But what about the death of the original Emperor? Did that not demonstrate a failing in his foresight? He did not actually become Darth Chrysalis, because the clone only had the experiences of the original. Would Palpatine have willingly sacrificed himself in order to expedite the emergence of his manufactured successor? Even if he had believed that his life was nearing its end, would a Dark Lord of the Sith so readily surrender it? Would that not fly in the face of everything they advocated? Far from being infirm, the Emperor had certainly still been powerful enough to electrocute Luke. Her fears were unfounded, and she was easily wise enough to suspect their sinister source.

It abruptly occurred to Leia that the Dark Side of the Force had taken up residence in the Jedi Temple. It rained against her resoluteness in much the same way as the hail of laser bolts that she was diligently deflecting. But her only weapon against the internal attack was her mind and her faith in the correctness of her course. For too long had evil made its abode in the very edifice of integrity. It was time for the Temple to be cleansed.

There was only one possible answer: she and her friends had simply stumbled unto some kind of emergency strategy, a last ditch tactic to facilitate the retaking of Coruscant if ever its citizens were to somehow slip the shackles of their Imperial imprisonment. The battle droids had helped the Emperor into his position of utter authority; consequently, he obviously believed that they could also help him hold onto it. She and her friends needed to demonstrate this belief as unfounded. But it was easy to see that such ambition would not be easily achieved. The robots were innumerable.

Amidst all the laser fire, she could see that the openings in the walls extended back beyond the area of the spacious room's original border. They had been augmented with excavation. However, it looked as if they opened only into the lowest level of the Temple. At first, this seemed strange to her; but then, she realized that the Archives would be put at risk in any attempt to eliminate the battle droids with one massive assault. They were effectively holding as hostage the very history of the Republic. But, she understood, this meant that the way she and her friends had come in was also the only way out.

"Fall back to the stairway!" she shouted above the constant discharge of the robots' blasters. "If we can't keep them contained, we need to let them exit the Archive! But one of us needs to watch our backs just in case there are any Storm Troopers still upstairs!"

"Mox and Mardra, back-to-back! Priella, you're with me!" Xan shouted. "Leia, wait at the back wall until we get close to staircase; and then, use the Force to race between us and straight up to the landing!"

"Why do I always feel like such a fifth wheel?" Leia playfully asked in reply, bouncing a laser blast back toward the battle droid that had just fired it at her. Her friends however elected to treat her comical inquiry as rhetorical as they speedily assumed the requested formations.

The oldest of the jungle Jedi had barely been born when the Clone Wars first began on Geonosis; and so, they were unaware of the historical parallel of Obi-Wan and Windu standing back-to-back as they fought entire battalions of battle droids. Paired in this way, the four defenders began to irrepressibly force a passage across the underground room, leaving Leia in the outskirts of the Archive. Although she was apparently abandoned, the droids fortunately focused most of their attention on the Jedi who seemed to be trying to get away. But the four lightsabers cut an irresistible swath through the frenzied laser fire.

Leia found that she had to fight in order to keep her emotions in check. In the Clone Wars, the engagements with the Droid Army had happened almost exclusively along the Outer Rim. Now suddenly, the infamous automatons, essentially missing from the history of the Republic for decades, were not just already within the confines of the capital; they had even violated the very sanctity of the Jedi Temple. She felt like she knew what Obi-Wan had experienced while he watched the slaying of his instructor. She was becoming angry, and she could not afford to be distracted by such a reaction.

Once again, she had to resist the temptation to be empowered, even temporarily, by the Dark Side. And truthfully, it was a titanic struggle. But she ultimately succeeded, and in the very cosmic sanctuary where her father had faltered – a failure that had dreadfully resulted in his willingness to mercilessly end the lives of Younglings.

It was no small feat for the pairs of jungle Jedi to deflect every bit of firepower away from the various Archive systems. There were simply too many laser bolts to angle them all back at their originators. All around Leia, there were smoking craters in the walls from the shots that had not come close enough to be a threat. The ceiling was starting to look like the surface of a volcanic moon, covered with smoldering craters.

As her four friends finally approached the bottom of the staircase, Leia saw the look Xan gave her. He wisely did not want to give the battle droids any overt indication of the fact that Leia was about to attempt to charge right though their ranks, but she intrinsically understood his soundless instructions. Pushing off from the wall, almost in the same way as a competitive swimmer, she used the Force to propel herself to a superhuman speed. As she swept through the interposing army, she whirled her lightsaber all around herself. The battle droids were unprepared. She achieved her passage with impunity.

On up the staircase she raced, not arresting her ascent until she had already arrived upon the lower landing. She came to a stop right in between a pair of very startled Storm Troopers. The sounds of the battle in the basement had attracted their attention. But her abrupt arrival was altogether unanticipated. She had dispatched them both before either of them could even squeeze off a single shot. More so than the echoing footsteps, which could barely be heard above the battle, the Force alerted her to the approach of others.

Backing into the corner of the landing, she deactivated her lightsaber and seemed to dissolve into the shadows. Because her friends had only just arrived at the bottom of the stairway, it would be impossible for the Storm Troopers to take aim against them without first descending to the landing. She patiently waited for them to start down the staircase; and then, she unleashed a concussion wave in the Force. It slammed into the surprised assembly of soldiers.

The Storm Troopers all lost their footing and fell. Most of them also lost their grip on their respective weapon as they clumsily careened down the staircase, rolling to the feet of the Padawan Princess. It was a very simple matter for her to finish off her momentarily defenseless foes. She turned her attention to the upper hallway, but it lay quite obviously empty. The first pair of Storm Troopers had apparently already summoned the others. It seemed as if the compliment of the Temple had effectively been reduced to battle droids and rebels.

Looking back out over the lower level, she was understandably disappointed to see that the attrition among their mechanized opponents had not been appreciable. Although the smoldering sections of many demolished battle droids were scattered all throughout the Archives, their ranks seemed to be impossibly inexhaustible. More were still actually emerging from the excavated extensions beyond the original boundaries of the perilously populous basement. She wondered how many of the automated assassins there actually were. The Shroud of the Dark Side had concealed this aspect of the Emperor's industry. The rebels had no plan in place for meeting so sizable a force.

The jungle Jedi began backing up the stairway. Though this action actually exposed them to additional opponents, the gaining of the high ground gave the Jedi a much more matchless advantage. They were in a far better position to effectively aim the laser bolts that their lightsabers were deflecting. As a consequence, the weapons fire from the more distant of their robotic opponents was actually helping to decimate those closest at hand. In only moments, a wall of refuse began to arise around the base of the staircase as the bodies of decisively damaged droids began to accumulate.

Seeing the success of her four friends, Leia decided that her wisest course of action would be to check on the rebels whom they had left at the entrance to the Temple. It was her hope that they had remained undiscovered. The Storm Troopers seemed to have all converged on the landing; but, as the sentries were responding from their different areas of responsibility, she knew there was at least a chance that some of them had elected to cut across the foyer.

As she neared the entrance, she heard the unmistakable sounds of blaster fire. And as she approached the area of engagement, she was surprised to see a very substantial assembly of Storm Troopers. As appallingly pinned-down as were the rebels, she had to wonder if some of the Imperial opponents had perhaps come from outside the building. If this was the case, since there was an army emerging from the basement, the situation of the strike team was now completely compromised.

Letting loose with a war cry as she supernaturally propelled herself into the midst of the melee, Leia deliberately drew the attention of the Storm Troopers. They were startled by the sight of her glittering lightsaber and even more surprised by her expertise with the ancient weapon. It was a fierce fight, but in moments she had vanquished victoriously.

"They're onto us," said Major Buja, the highest ranking among the survivors; whom, she was devastated to see, were few. "I heard them on their com-links. Reinforcements will be here any minute. We won't be getting out of here the way we got in."

Glancing around and certifying that the survivors were all able to travel, Leia replied, "As quickly as you can, come with me."

As she led them back into the expansiveness of the Temple, Leia used her com-link to contact Xan and tell him that the entrance had been compromised. Her design was to lead the surviving rebels up to one of the landing bays. They had been uncertain of their ability to gain access to any of these areas from outside, though she hoped to find them functional, but she had no idea if there might be a speeder still stored there. If there were not, they would have to rely on being extracted by a drop-ship from one of the Coalition's cruisers; provided, of course, that one of the cruisers was even available to attempt such a rescue.

"We're not going to be able to keep these battle droids bottled up down here, they're just too many of them," Xan replied, pausing to intercept a series of salvos. "Some of the droids are sure to follow us, but we can easily outdistance them; so, we'll fall back to join you up at the bays. I'm sure they understand that the presence of Jedi in the Temple has to mean there's a situation outside. That may minimize the pursuit, but that may not be a good thing for the rest of the rebellion."

"Yeah, I know," Leia unhappily agreed. "And once the battle droids disperse through the city, it's going to be a lot harder to eliminate them. I wish there was some way for the cruisers to zap them without destroying the Temple at the same time."

"If you figure that one out, let me know," Xan responded, amidst the telltale sound of deflected laser fire. "We'll see you upstairs."

By the illumination of her lightsaber, Leia could see the questioning expressions on the faces of the pursuing rebels; and so, she said, "The basement is full of battle droids. We eliminated some of them, but there's still a substantial army. We'll have to figure out how to deal with them, but we were at least able to change the transponder code."

"If I recall correctly, battle droids are usually controlled from a centralized location," Buja observed. "If we can determine where that is, we might be able to deactivate them."

"I like the way you think," Leia laughingly replied. "But do you have any ideas about how we could determine where the signal is coming from?"

"There was a droid army that invaded Naboo once," he replied. "The signal was sent from the Federation ships in orbit, but I rather doubt that the source in this case is orbital. We might be able to isolate the transmitter with the scanners on one of our cruisers."

"We need to contact them anyway just as soon as we reach the landing bay. It's not like our presence here hasn't already been detected," Leia agreed.

A few of the rebels had been injured in the firefight; but, between their determination and the aid of the others, they finally made it to a nearby bay. There were no speeders.

Leia looked around disappointedly; but then, she strode to the nearest set of landing bay doors and confidently toggled the controls to open them. Despite decades of disuse, the doors slid obediently aside. A scene of widespread warfare was revealed. The rebels were surprised to see just how quickly the rebellion had broadened. Firefights appeared to be erupting all over the city. But something in the foreground immediately caught their attention. The _Forthright_ was descending toward the same square where the rebels had originally disembarked.

Aiming a tight-beamed transmission at the descending cruiser, Leia conversationally said, "Greetings, Admiral. We accomplished our mission, but we're really hoping you can send a drop-ship to pick us up at these coordinates. Our losses were much heavier than expected. I think we can get all the survivors on a single ship. And I'm sorry to say it, but we've got another problem. Please use your sensors to see if you can determine where the battle droids in the basement are getting their command signals from."

"Battle droids in the basement of the Jedi Temple?" Admiral Ackbar asked in reply.

"Unfortunately," Leia disappointedly replied. "And not just a few of them either. What about our extraction request, can you help us out here?"

"Our gunners are securing the landing zone; but as soon as they do, I'll send a ship for you," Admiral Ackbar replied. And then, he asked, "Are you able to hold where you're at for a few minutes?"

"We've got wounded here, but we're still waiting for the other Jedi," Leia responded, trying not to sound impatient. "Once they get here, some of the battle droids may not be far behind them; so, we'll need to evacuate as soon as we're all assembled."

"We've locked onto your signal, and we'll get you out of there just as quickly as we can," Ackbar replied. "But if the droids are getting their transmission from a local source, it's going to be hard to isolate it. There's a lot of weapons fire in the immediate area."

"Just do what you can, please," Leia courteously requested. "We'd have to destroy the Archives to eliminate them where they are. And if we have to take them out one at a time, it will seriously extend this campaign. Having the Galactic Congress recalled is not going to help us if the robots are actually a threat to the representatives. And I've no idea if that might be the case."

Now that she had almost recovered from the initial shock of their puzzling presence, Leia was trying to determine what the battle droids' immediate objective might be. It was her fear that they would head for the Parliament Complex and there was no way to know what their intentions would be when they reached it. A pre-programmed response could easily include orders to eliminate anyone who was trying to occupy a position of power, since it seemed reasonable to assume that the battle droids represented an emergency defense against sedition. The delegates could be easily be perceived as doing just that.

A drop-ship left the _Forthright_ only moments before the battle droids burst from the entrance to the Temple. Since they did not see the launch, the robots had no reason to connect the two craft. They opened fire only on the heavily armored cruiser, and not on the vulnerable ship that had just disembarked. The jungle Jedi entered the bay just then.

"Our ride is on its way," Leia reassured them. "And the _Forthright_ is trying to isolate the command signal for the battle droids. But with so many energy weapons discharging, it isn't going to be easy."

"We've only got about a minute or two before they'll be in here," Mox said. "We may have to make one last stand while everyone's loading up. As Jedi, I wish we knew some special code for sealing this bay."

"I guess we could close all the hatches and lightsaber the controls," Xan tentatively suggested. "I hate the idea of damaging the Temple, but we've got to cover our retreat."

"If we're successful in everything we're trying to do here," Mox replied, "we'll be able to come back and repair any damage we've done."

The five Jedi nodded at each other in silent agreement; and then, they went around and electronically locked all the doorways that led back into the building. Once each had been secured, they used their lightsabers to sunder the controls. Leia used the Force to pull down the doorway to the open bay. Her idea was to use levitation and sling it at any robots that made it inside before everyone had loaded up. They needed to give the ship a chance to get clear.

"If that's not enough, we could always stay behind and leap out after the drop-ship is safely away," Priella suggested. "We can't give the battle droids the opportunity to fire on it while it's pulling away. At point blank range, they might get lucky and shoot it down."

"If we have to jump, we could find ourselves right in the middle of the ones that just left the Temple," Leia apprehensively observed. "But if that's what the situation requires, we'll just have to chance it."

Seconds later, the drop-ship arrived. The injured were ferried aboard first; but before they had even all been loaded, the presence of battle droids was noisily announced at all the doorways. As quickly as they could, the other rebels scrambled aboard. In only a few moments, punctures began to appear in the interposing obstacles as the ruinous robots subjected the doors to concentrated firepower. The Jedi reactivated their lightsabers and stood ready to intercept any salvos. Initially however, the battle droids focused only their need to expand the smoldering portals. They did not fire through them.

"Come on!" shouted the last rebel to board the drop-ship. "Everybody's onboard now but you!"

At that moment, one of the doorways caved in. A torrent of robots came rushing into the bay. Pointing in the direction of the dismantled landing bay door, Leia used the Force to send it sailing at the startled battle droids. Since they were without options for evading the slab of improbably airborne metal, many froze in place. They were actually propelled right back between the melted doorjambs. With her right hand extended, Leia continued to hold the slab in place as she carefully climbed backwards into the drop-ship.

Speaking specifically to the other Jedi, who understood her intent, Leia said, "I need you to help me hold it there while we're pulling away. I'm still having trouble manipulating things I can't see."

"That's normal," Xan replied as he waved his hand toward the ship's outer door and sealed everyone inside. "It's a skill that improves with the application. Pilot, get us out of here before they find any other ways in."

As the jungle Jedi helped the Padawan Princess maintain the metal barricade, now invisible to everybody aboard, the drop-ship lifted from the landing bay floor and flew out into the night. The skyline was however awash with an unusual amount of artificial light. Various sections of the sprawling city were obviously under siege, and firefights seemed to be in progress at almost every major intersection over which their course caused them to pass. Rebels, Imperial soldiers, battle droids, and even armed civilians all appeared to be participating; but it wasn't immediately evident whether any of these contestants were actually cooperating with each other.

The _Forthright_ had not been able to stay on the ground; at least, not if there was to be any hope of receiving the drop-ship. However, enough of the ground-based batteries had been eliminated for the cruiser to stay on station at altitude. Aiming his craft towards the shimmering spectacle in the sky, the pilot brought his craft back to the flagship of the Coalition.

As they were finally closing on the landing bay doors, Leia used her com-link to ask, "Admiral, have your techs had any luck in identifying the source of the droids' command signal?"

"We have not been able to identify the nature of the aberrant transmission," Admiral Ackbar replied, "but there is a strong signal coming from a domestic location. We believe it is the Emperor's quarters in the Imperial Annex Dome, which he has totally taken over. That particular facility however remains the most secure in the city. We can't reach it."

"Then we should approach it from the air," Xan concluded. Activating his own com-link, he then said, "Admiral Ackbar, this is Xan. I think we should drop everybody else on the _Forthright_. This sounds like a job for the Jedi. If you would please, have your pilot fly us above the structure where those quarters are located. Of course, we'll need to see a grid reference for the transmitter's position. And then, we'll take care of neutralizing it."

"I would recommend that we simply bombard the building," Ackbar replied, "but the most formidable of the remaining batteries are situated all around it. I'll get the _Skyward_ and the _Exordium_ to help us create a distraction. Lieutenant Dlanzs, climb into the upper troposphere and descend on your target directly from above. That should get you where you need to go, but you may need to abandon the _Talons_ and accompany the Jedi. You probably won't get your ship back out of there in one piece. I'll leave that to you."

"Thank you, Admiral," the pilot responded. "Once they've surveyed the situation, I'll obey their instructions."

"Admiral Ackbar," interjected Londle Eisley, using the com-link at his station on the _Forthright_, "I'd like to go with the Jedi, sir. My codes might yet be of some use inside the Imperial Palace. I'm fully qualified to pilot that drop-ship. I could even replace Lieutenant Dlanzs."

"Perhaps," Ackbar replied. He then asked, "Do you have any objections, Dlanzs?"

"Sir, if I strafe the rooftop and drop them behind the resulting smoke screen, it might buy them some extra time," Dlanzs replied. "I could veer away after that and make it look like it was just an unsuccessful assault. The Imperial Guard might not even realize that it was actually the deployment of a strike team if we pull it off correctly. Of course, I would have to attempt to get the _Talons_ back out of there or it all would've been for nothing."

"Sounds pretty risky," the admiral responded. "And I'd rather lose the shuttle than an officer like you, but I do see the possible advantage. If you're absolutely sure you want to take such a terrible chance, I'll let you try. But don't attempt to affect your escape with an ascent. Use the force of gravity and accelerate down into the city. You might just be able to stay ahead of the gunners that way."

"Aye, sir," Lieutenant Dlanzs replied as he maneuvered the _Talons_ into the docking bay on the _Forthright_.

As the rebel passengers were disembarking, Londle and Tysha came alongside the ship. From her vantage point near the hatch, Leia saw them approaching. See could see that they were holding hands. Although it did not surprise her than the woman had come to see her husband off, she wondered why it did not seem as if there was any attempt in progress to dissuade him. Tysha seemed to accept her husband's decision. As she saw Leia at the top of the gangplank, Tysha seemed to understand the unspoken question.

"We already owe you our lives," Mrs. Eisley answered. "But if you should fail in what you're trying to do here, they're forfeit anyway. The Empire will certainly see to that. We must therefore do whatever we can to assist you, regardless of the risks. You saved my husband once before. I'm more certain that he will be safe in your company even than I am if he stays on this ship. If the _Forthright_ were to fall while he is off assisting you, he could yet survive me."

"With Admiral Ackbar on the bridge, I really don't see that happening," Leia replied, smiling. "But I appreciate the vote of confidence. I'll try to make sure it's not misplaced."

Leia lightly embraced Tysha, who then hugged her husband one more time before letting him board. Londle assumed the copilot's position, and the shuttle swiftly slipped back out of the docking bay. Lieutenant Dlanzs quickly executed a climb into the upper atmosphere of Coruscant. Once there, he carefully calculated his rapid descent toward the top of the Imperial Palace.

"They've stopped admitting any delegations, so there would be no point in trying to pass ourselves off as a diplomatic vessel," said Dlanzs. "This is going to have to go like clockwork. As soon as I've fired the blasters, I'll pull up behind the smokescreen. You'll need to jump out as soon as I hover. I won't even be touching down. Once you're clear, I'll pull away and execute my emergency descent into the city. Hang on. Here we go!"

From their extreme altitude, the capital system's star was just beginning to peak out over the horizon. Lieutenant Dlanzs initiated the dramatic dive. The city-covered surface of Coruscant seemed to rush up toward them, made visible by the multitudinous lights of its industrial and residential districts. Glancing at the grid, still visible on the displays, the Jedi familiarized themselves with the location of the transmitter. Not surprisingly, though unfortunately, it was situated deep within the Imperial Executive Annex.

"The admiral wasn't kidding about all the defensive firepower," Dlanzs observed as they supersonically approached their target. "The cruisers are closing on the complex."

Nearly inverted in the air, the nose of the ship was pointing right at the confrontation. The air was rife with laser fire as the Imperial batteries unleashed an eruption of energy at the three Coalition cruisers. The network of emplacements appeared impenetrable.

"Maybe you had better just ditch this ship and come with us," Leia insistently said to Dlanzs. "I've got a very bad feeling about this."

"We stick with the plan," he confidently replied. "You've got an awful lot of ground to cover inside the structure before you'll reach the transmitter. And the less resistance you initially encounter, the greater the chances of your success; otherwise, you could find an entire army already positioned to repel you. One word of advice though. This building is no longer a residence hall for itinerate senators. Watch out for ray shields. Eisley and his special codes won't do you any good if you're all trapped inside a force field somewhere. But there's an astrodroid in the hold that you can take with you. R9-Z5 has saved my life a few times. He's got hover technology, so he'll have no problem keeping up with you. In fact, since he's armed, he can also double as a defender. I've just transferred his control over to you. Get ready to deploy."

Londle and the five Jedi had no sooner than reached the shuttle's main hatch, being joined by a new robotic accomplice, when Dlanzs let lose with the blasters. As he pulled up to hover behind the ensuing smokescreen, everyone but the pilot abruptly bailed out. The hatch quickly closed behind them, and the _Talons_ angled away. They watched as it soared down into the city, careening toward the cover of the skyscrapers and somehow finding a seam between the blasting batteries. It looked the drop-ship was actually going to make it.

The single high-energy shot that struck it would not have destroyed it except that the impact caused it to bounce into a nearby building. The collision was catastrophic and the craft seemed to simply disintegrate upon impact. Although horrified, the rest of the strike force had time to do nothing but turn wordlessly away from the sorrowful sight.

When the lieutenant had suggested that the astrodroid could keep up with the Jedi, he had actually been making an erroneous assumption. Of course, none of the servants of galactic integrity deemed it appropriate to correct him, and the inclusion of Eisley also put serious restriction on their ability to use supernatural speed. Nonetheless, they raced to the nearest doorway and, upon finding it locked, waited for Londle and the new robot.

Turning to the Imperial turncoat, Xan said, "We could just use our lightsabers to get inside, but we'd be sure to set off alarms. Is there anything you can do?"

Londle had R9-Z5 plug into the computer interface that was situated just beside the doorway. Using his command codes and the astrodroid's access, he was able to bypass the security protocols. The door slid softly open. No alarms sounded.

"They don't know we're here," he said as he looked with distinct satisfaction at the astrodroid's display. "I've disabled all the sensors along our most immediate route to the transmitter. I took them out in entire sectors, so it'll look just like a major malfunction"

"Excellent!" Priella exclaimed.

"We'll see," Londle replied. "Right now the cruisers are keeping everyone very busy. But against so much firepower, they won't be able to maintain that diversion. Eventually, somebody's going to notice the system failure. And when they do, soldiers will be sent to investigate. With them all deactivated, I can't use the sensors to monitor anyone entering the sectors where we're going. Fortunately however we've also got the scanners on the astrodroid to alert us of their approach. But between the energy backscatter from all the blaster fire and the thickness of the building's superstructure, we may not get very much forewarning. We'd better hurry."

As she was preparing to step through the doorway, Leia turned to Londle and said, "You and the astrodroid should stay about twenty paces behind us, just in case."

The strike team entered the Imperial Palace, previously called the Executive Annex Dome. Londle did not have to make a conscious attempt to fall back behind the Jedi. He found himself hard-pressed to keep up. R9-Z5 could have done somewhat better, but it had heard Leia's instructions; and so, the astrodroid stayed very close to the ex-officer. But without the sensors to activate the defensive systems, they encountered neither ray shields nor any other type of electronic obstacle. They finally arrived, without incident, at the entrance to the Clone Emperor's actual quarters.

"This is where it gets dicey," Londle quietly announced as he examined the security console. "I'm sure none of my codes will help us here, and I am probably going to set off alarms just by making the attempt. I would say your lightsabers are the best option. But we need to work swiftly once we're inside. The sensors around and beyond the doorway are all coded with the same access cipher. Our forced entry is certain to be detected."

"Then it can't be helped," Xan replied as he looked to the other Jedi. Understanding his intent, they all activated their lightsabers.

With the five of them working together, the door fell away very quickly. Trailed by the astrodroid and Londle Eisley, they entered the Imperial quarters. By using the same grid reference that had been displayed on the _Talons_, R9-Z5 quickly located the console that was sending the signal to the army of battle droids. And only moments later, the slashes of five lightsabers had reduced it to smoldering scrap metal. Just for good measure they also decimated every other control console throughout the entire residence. Showers of electrical sparks rewarded their luminous efforts. A quick glance through the ray shielded window revealed a sudden lull in the firefights in the direction of the Jedi Temple.

"You did it," Londle excitedly breathed. "The robot army has been eliminated."

"We did it," Xan replied, turning to him. The Jedi's smile was made visible only by all the emergency lights.

"Right," Londle grinningly agreed. "But now, how are we gonna get out of here, and what are we gonna do about those blaster batteries?"

"They're set up to repel a frontal assault," Xan answered. "I doubt if they'll be able to withstand a ground attack from the rear. We've only accomplished part of our mission."

"If you were still in uniform, you might be able to walk right out of this place," Mardra added. "But with things the way they are, it'd probably be best for you to simply return to the rooftop with the astrodroid, reseal the doorway, and wait until the building is secure. With so many Imperial soldiers to engage, we'll be doing good to keep ourselves alive."

Facing the disappointment in Eisley's eyes, Leia said, "Your life is worth much more than the amount of aid you could give us with your lone blaster. You should fall back with R9 and secure the rooftop for the next rebel landing."

Squaring his jaw, Londle replied, "Okay, when you phrase it that way, I guess I can accept such an assignment."

All eyes turned suddenly to the astrodroid. The whistling warning that it was emitting reminded Leia of another and exceedingly esteemed droid. And no one needed any type of explanation for the outburst. Everyone understood what the robot was telling them.

Sounding amazingly like another Jedi, whom he had never actually met in the flesh, Mox excitedly said, "Here's where all the fun begins."


	4. Chapter 7 and Epilogue

**Chapter Seven: No Room at the Cross**

As the Star Killer decelerated out of hyperspace and assumed a close orbit around the sun of the Hoth system, Luke turned to R2-D2 and said, "We've searched this entire station and found no trace of any kind of self-destruct device. I think the Clone Emperor must have lied to his officers, and I guess I can see why. But we still have the means to destroy this thing, by creating a cascade event in this system's star; then, all I'd have to do is trash the hyperdrive. After that, nobody would be able to save the Star Killer. Both of us could escape in the _Dauntless_; that is, if I'm actually able to defeat Darth Chrysalis. If I'm not, then it would be up to you."

The astrodroid emitted an exceedingly worrisome whistle, and Luke sighed; then, he softly said, "R2, I need to know if you'd still be able to use a computer interface to control this station if I were to destroy all the manually operated consoles. That way, there would be no chance of anyone interfering with what you're doing. If it won't create any problem, then I'm going to demolish the bridge. We can hang out on the observation deck until our company arrives."

When R2-D2 confidently indicated that a loss of the manual controls would present no impediment to its ability to operate the station, Luke actually used the Emperor's own lightsaber to systematically destroy every manual interface throughout the entire bridge. He thought it would be more appropriate for the occasion than Darth Maul's saberstaff.

Having completed this task, he and the astrodroid made their way to the observation deck. R2-D2 plugged into a computer interface and resumed scanning for any ships that were entering the system. Luke wondered if the Empire or the Alliance would actually be the first on the scene, though he also wondered about the wisdom of possibly putting the _Dauntless_ at risk. Although he was certain to inflict much more damage to the enemy by employing the little battleship, it also represented his best chance of getting both himself and his astrodroid off the station when it came time to destroy it. So, he had misgivings.

From the expansive viewing port of the observation deck, Luke gazed out across the solar system. Once home to the rebels; the frozen globe of Hoth glittered in the distance. Soon, he thought, it would be consumed in the fires of its own sun just as Geonosis and Kamino had been. And Tatooine would be decimated by a shock wave. It seemed like all the places he knew were being destroyed, and he was eliminating them. It even felt as if the inhabitants of Endor were endangered; which, he was certain, also had to be a result of their decision to back the rebels. It was as if the future of the Republic, as maybe even the very galaxy in which it existed, were tottering on the brink of some invisible precipice. On one side was an abyss. On the other side was restoration. And he was firmly fixed at the fulcrum. He could still hear his father's words: _to really balance the Force in this way, embracing an alliance with both of its sides, has never before been achieved_.

Perhaps at the end, without even really understanding it, Anakin had accomplished just that. But it had been an afterthought, almost like a redemptive reflex. What Luke was doing was deliberate; and, as a consequence, he was given much more time to consider the possible outcomes – both desirable and disastrous. But in surprisingly similar way, it all came down to making the right choice at the right time. Of this, he was very certain. It would be a mistake to rely on foresight. He had seen others, both Sith and Jedi, fooled in this way before. _Always feelings: the future_.

He had been honed into a weapon, a kind of living lightsaber. Soon would come the time of his unsheathing. One way or the other, the galaxy would never be the same. But then again, at no time in any history of which he was aware had it ever been in a state of such absolute instability. Its fate was about to be decided beyond the foreseeable future, which was the other reason for not relying on prescience. All the chances of his success now hinged entirely upon his ability to embrace the mystery, even if it meant that his part in the tale had come to an end. He had to wield both the destructiveness of the Sith and the servant-hood of the Jedi, to unite utter opposites and heal the galaxy by becoming a complete contradiction.

Standing there, facing the viewing port, only an arm's length away from the icy void of airless space, he began to have suspicions about what might be required in order for him to achieve his intended end. It occurred to him that there might be an opportunity to commune with his mentors one final time before entering into the coming conflict; if not, he knew it was completely possible that he would already have been gathered to them by the time of that next meeting. Suddenly, such an idea did not seem altogether terrible. In fact, he was surprised by the smile that he discovered as it was crossing his face.

At that moment however, he was interrupted out of his reverie by two separate sets of bright flashes at the uttermost outskirts of his vision. Before R2-D2 even informed him of their arrival, he knew that he had just witnessed the entries of both the Empire and the Alliance. Coming from their far-flung coordinates, both armadas set their courses straight for the station. And without even needing to rely on his astrodroid, he could see that they would not be in range to engage each other until they were almost on top of it. The game was afoot.

"R2, increase our orbital velocity," he said, "that should put the Alliance here slightly ahead of the Imperial Fleet. On my way to the _Dauntless_, I'm going to go by engineering and destroy the hyperdrive. Until I get back, defense of the station will be completely up to you; and you know what to do if I don't make it, but our friends need my help."

At the head of the Rebel Fleet, the vessels of Generals Solo, Calrissian, and Antilles emerged into normal space at the edge of the Hoth system. Unlike the other two leaders and some of the members of the squadrons, Lando had not been part of the tragic Battle of Echo Base. He did not share the sentiment of those who saw this as an opportunity to extract payback from the Empire for the many friends that had been lost that day. But his dedication to the current campaign was no less than theirs. After working with Wedge to destroy the last Death Star however it seemed extremely strange to now be risking their lives to defend a far more destructive space station.

The original incarnation of the Emperor had come to an end while onboard that last doomsday device. As he understood it, their purpose was to give the Clone Emperor the opportunity to do likewise, if only he would be so condescending. Ideally, they needed to eliminate any option for extraction once the regent was aboard the Star Killer. And then, if Luke were ultimately unable to assassinate the current incarnation, the Coalition would bear the brunt of that responsibility. By then, he hoped the Imperial Fleet would've been decimated and the Star Killer far too badly damaged to withstand a last assault. Between the tricky timing and all the tactical difficulties, this was far more ambitious than anything the Alliance had ever undertaken before. And each leader was well aware of this aspect of their mission. General Calrissian had accepted responsibility for directly engaging the Imperial Fleet. He had been given the designation of Gold Leader, in command of Gold Squadron. He had also been given the oversight for the operation.

At the Battle of Yavin, in which the first Death Star was destroyed, Han Solo played only a supportive and almost clandestine role. At the time, he was still merely seen as a smuggler and a rogue. His only real accomplishment during the Battle of Echo Base was the evacuation of Princess Leia. However, in accepting responsibility for putting together a strike team and destroying the shield generator during the Battle of Endor, he'd earned the rank of General. But he had never led a space assault before, nor had he even flown against the second Death Star. Added to this was the fact that his experience was in the area of attack, not defense. And he was very aware of these shortcomings. But since his best friend was on the Star Killer, he insisted on being in command of the squadron that was tasked with forming a defensive envelop around it. He was given the designation of Blue Leader, in command of Blue Squadron.

Despite the persuaded opinion of Princess Leia, who understandably overestimated some of the accomplishments of Han Solo, and as the single pilot that had actually flown against both Death Stars, Wedge Antilles was the most experienced of the rebel leaders for discerning where support was really needed. Consequently, Rogue Squadron, under his command, was given the duty of backing up the other two divisions. Admiral Ackbar, Fleet Admiral and Supreme Commander of the Coalition forces, saw this assignment as the most demanding of the entire engagement; and Wedge intrinsically understood what an honor was being afforded in the awarding of such an essential responsibility. He was given the designation of Red Leader. For the purposes of the engagement, Red equaled Rogue.

As the three rebel squadrons all dropped out of hyperspace, while entering the Hoth system, the pilots were startled to see that the Empire had somehow arrived at precisely the same time. According to the instructions of their respective team leaders, they all set course for the distant space station; and everyone was relieved to see that the Star Killer accelerated to ensure that the rebels would be the first to arrive at their intended target.

"Blue Leader, this is Gold Leader," Lando barked into his headset, "you are going to have to hurry to establish your defensive perimeter. Red Leader, I'd like you to take your squadron around the station and then size up the situation. Gold Squadron, we'll need to change course and intercept those cruisers. The battle begins now."

Gold Squadron angled away from the other two groups, targeting the Imperial Fleet. Even at maximum acceleration, it was going to be hard for the little ships of the Coalition to come in ahead the Imperial invasion. The Corellian cruisers still had the inertia of their emergence into normal space, and they were flying at full throttle. But the astrodroids on the Coalition ships were quite capable of making the calculations for the interception; the outriders of the rebellion quickly closed on the cruisers.

"Gold Leader, this is Blue Leader," Han excitedly announced. "There's some kind of craft pulling out from the station, it looks like a small battleship. Commander Skywalker's signal is coming from its transponder!"

"Good morning, nice of you guys to join us," laughed Luke. "Gold Leader, I'd like to respectfully recommend that Red Squadron help us intercept those cruisers. That'll give Blue Squadron more time to establish their positions. And then, I'll stick with Gold Group while Red Group is redeploying, if that's okay with you. But the station isn't defenseless. R2 is overseeing its arsenal. I should mention however that the hyperdrive is offline."

"I understand, and your recommendation is approved. It's good to have you with us again," Lando replied. "Red Squadron, you'll need to follow us in. After you complete the first pass, break free and assess the situation."

"Copy that, Gold Leader," Wedge replied. "And howdy, Red Five. You'll be happy to know that we saved your call signal for you."

"Who says there's no sentimentality in space?" Luke teasingly asked in reply.

"Luke, what happened to the Star Killer's hyperdrive?" asked Lando, aiming a tightly beamed transmission directly at the _Dauntless_.

"I would say it was sabotage; but then, I would be telling on myself," Luke replied in a similar fashion.

"When your sister rescued Otabutu, the Prefect of Saleucami, we learned a tactic for taking out the hyperdrive on a Corellian cruiser. If we can just leave them stranded in the system, you could simply destroy the star and you would not even have to take a chance on facing the Clone Emperor. Just follow our lead," said Lando.

"Sounds like it's worth a shot," Luke replied. "But don't jeopardize your whole fleet to try and save my skin. I'm a Jedi. I won't readily risk the lives of others ahead of my own."

"This is Gold Leader to all wings," Lando responded, switching back to a broadband transmission. "Initiate _Operation_ _Tailfin_; repeat, we have go for _Tailfin_."

Wedge and Han both acknowledged the order, as did each pilot of their squadrons.

For the respective Coalition commanders, this was the best possible news. It would be much easier to simply abandon their enemy, to be destroyed along with the star, than to try to actually overcome the entire Imperial armada. A series of strategic strikes could conceivably leave the cruisers bereft of their hyperdrive capabilities, maybe even setting them up to destroy themselves in attempting to engage those systems. In admitting what he had done, Luke basically confirmed what Lando had already been hoping. Their odds of success, in the strike force commander's mind, were therefore greatly improved. This was not the perspective of their opponents.

As Admiral Turlow stood beside Darth Chrysalis on the bridge of the command ship, _Fury_, the flagship of the Imperial Fleet, he assessed the situation and said, "They've got to be kidding. They really think they're going to take us on with a few squadrons of stunt fighters? I was expecting us to face the entire Rebel Fleet. This is overkill."

"Your disappointment may be premature, Admiral," the Clone Emperor dismissively replied. "The Star Killer possesses many impressive armaments of its own. I would very much like to know however what it is that the rest of their ships are doing. This is not the entire Alliance. Contact Coruscant and inquire about the condition of the capital."

"At once, Majesty," the Admiral answered, indicating the order to a junior officer. "Is there any particular posture you'd like me to have the fleet adopt, or shall we continue to the station and eliminate the opposition on the way?"

"Command of the fleet remains at your discretion, Admiral," Darth Chrysalis replied. "I'm interested to see you in action. I'd remind you however that our primary objective is the retaking of the station. All other considerations are entirely secondary; including the elimination of the opposition, such as it is. Your main concern is to help me get onboard the target and then to assure its safety."

"Understood, sir," the Admiral agreed. Turning to the bridge officers, he loudly said, "Have all ships continue on course, maximum speed; route auxiliary power to weapons and shields. Prepare to repel."

"Well done, Admiral," the Clone Emperor observed. "That would have been my first choice."

Receiving a report, Admiral Turlow informatively said, "Majesty, an inquiry has been transmitted to Coruscant. Of course, considering our substantial range, even a subspace communication takes time. But we'll both be advised as soon as the answer is received."

"Admiral, sir, a ship has just taken off from the station. It's headed right towards us. I don't recognize its configuration, but it's powering both weapons and shields," one of the scanning technicians announced.

As Admiral Turlow looked at him questioningly, Darth Chrysalis said, "You had best engage this one yourself. The ship is an extremely powerful prototype, a description that might also apply to the pilot. I'd hoped to preserve both, but destroy them if you can. Let the other cruisers deal with the rebel fighters. The _Dauntless_ represents the real threat."

"Target the newcomer," the admiral announced. "Fire as soon as he's within range."

"Aye, Admiral," the weapons officer replied as he watched the worrisome craft on his screen continue to close. However, as its pilot, Luke was completely aware of his plight.

With the impressive speed of his little warship, it was quite clear to Luke that he was going to intercept the Imperial armada ahead of anybody else; but this was in agreement with his intentions. He was hoping to somewhat soften the defenses of the cruisers while also providing a distraction, making it possible for the stunt fighters to complete their first pass while enduring a minimum amount of damage. Going head-to-head with a Corellian cruiser was an admittedly risky gambit; but he was a Jedi Master, and the Force was his ally. He could sense the armaments that were taking aim against him, and it was as if he could almost see the avenues of virtual safety that lay between the salvos of the coming assault. Consequently, the _Dauntless_ was spinning out of the way of the first shot before it had even been fired.

Although the engagement was within visual range for the rebels, the scopes of their ships put them almost right on top of the seemingly impossible action. They looked on in awe as he flew right through a firestorm that would have fried anyone else. As he closed on the cruiser, supernaturally sensing all the seams between its overlapping force fields, he finally returned fire – at point-blank range. One of the cruiser's shield generators was overwhelmed by his assault. It ruptured spectacularly, emitting an explosive inferno into the frozen vacuum of space.

Barreling right by the bridge, he strafed the shielding seams along the aft quarters of the command cruiser, focusing on the force fields just in front of its enormous engines. It was a perilous ploy, even for a Jedi. But his corkscrewing course kept the little warship's shields from succumbing to the few laser blasts that struck them. As he cleared the rear sections of the cruiser, he set his course for the next Imperial participant.

"Alert all commands," Darth Chrysalis said, "and tell them to divide all their gunnery crews into two teams. Half should shoot directly at the _Dauntless_. The others should fire into the area around it. This will make it impossible for him to avoid all their salvos. Also, in order compensate for possible crossfire, we need more space between our ships than our current formation allows. Have all the commanders adjust their courses accordingly, and tell them to prepare to launch their fighters."

Admiral Turlow was about to reiterate the orders, giving them his personal approval, but he could see that his officers were already carrying out the clone's commands. It left him feeling unnecessary, a dangerous situation for a person in his position. He turned to the Clone Emperor, fearing that dismissal might be about to become fatally official. Darth Chrysalis however simply held up a manufactured finger to swiftly silence the man. The clone had his eyes closed.

"Luke, don't be a fool," he said to his great nephew. "I know how to fight you. You've less of a chance against me than you would've had against Grand Master Yoda himself. And he was no match even for my predecessor. I would prefer not to destroy you or your warship, but do not make the mistake of testing me in this, my young apprentice. I will do both despite the bond of blood that's between us, my impetuous nephew."

"I won't give up, you'll have to beat me if you can," Luke replied. "But I'm not related to your test-tube! I guess Palpatine may have been my great uncle, but you are not him!"

"You wish to argue over aesthetics? I'm not impressed," Darth Chrysalis responded. "Your efforts have already cost me many cruisers and their crews. If you will discontinue this idiocy, I might be persuaded to induct your friends as officers; if not, you're all about to find yourselves in the midst of a swarm of short-range fighters. I'll not extend this offer a second time. Signal your surrender, tell your rebellious friends to disengage, and bring the _Dauntless_ to the docking bay on my command cruiser. You have demonstrated both your determination and your prowess. Now, come and claim your position as my second in command."

"How many short-range fighters constitute a swarm?" Luke contemptuously asked in reply.

As he began to close on the next cruiser, much smaller than the command ship but nevertheless very definitely formidable, Jedi Master Skywalker came to understand what the Clone Emperor had meant. There were no longer any avenues of approach between the gunners' sights. Even his tough little warship was no match for the overlapping fields of fire that were waiting to rip it apart, but he had already realized that he now needed to adopt a different tactic. Unlike the Clone Emperor's command cruiser, which sported gun placements all around its bay, this one was at least slightly more assailable.

Angling abruptly away from his collision course, Luke unknowingly imitated the tactic that had also been used by his friend, Han Solo, when the _Falcon_ industriously delivered a Padawan-laden escape pod into the docking bay of a similar Imperial cruiser. Plunging into the empty space below the behemoth, and temporarily eluding the gunners onboard, he then arced up toward the main landing bay in its underbelly. Veering erratically, as he executed his corkscrewing climb, he successfully closed to a range from which he could launch a devastating assault against the docking bay's shield generators. At such close range, they were not able to withstand the firepower of the _Dauntless_.

As the force fields failed, the emergency doors began closing; but not in time to stop the second salvo. Luke fired a pair of extremely powerful missiles. The emergency doors actually snapped shut right behind them, causing a forced-chamber explosion; thus, the cruiser's compliment of short-range fighters was destroyed. So much damage amidships left the craft compromised as numerous other overloads immediately ensued. Luke was reminded of the time he had tossed a grenade into the underbelly of an Imperial Walker. The gunners were far too busy to even get a shot off at him as he angled away from the crippled cruiser.

"Looks like there are going to be a few less short-range fighters in your swarm," he brashly said to the telepathic image. "And as for your offer, I'm happy to disappoint you."

Darth Chrysalis broke the telepathic contact. There were too many other things now going on. The Alliance had arrived. A third of the original ships had proceeded on toward the station, but all the remaining rebel fighters had just divided into two groups. One was obviously hoping to take advantage of the two holes in the flagship's slightly diminished defenses, but the other group diverted to intercept the seriously injured, second cruiser.

If he had hesitated, the opportunity would have been lost, perhaps permanently; but Admiral Turlow industriously ordered the launching of all the Imperial fighters. The scope of every Coalition ship was suddenly filled with an unbelievable amount of radar returns.

"This is Gold Leader," Lando rasped into his headset. "Enemy fighters are emerging from almost every craft in their battle group. Watch your six, everybody. We all knew this would happen. Just continue operations and cover each other."

The stream of rebel craft, which had converged on the _Fury_, were obviously trying to exploit some openings that Luke had forced through the flagship's defenses; but only the shields had been compromised and in only a few places. The gunners on the cruisers all knew they had to keep the rebels' fighters away from those locations, and the command cruiser's skin was hardly insubstantial. Although there were no losses among the craft of the Coalition, their assault was unsuccessful. The _Fury_ was essentially unharmed.

The crew of the second cruiser was not so fortunate. Most of its defenses had failed as a result of electronic overloads. Red Squadron's pass eliminated any hope of survival that might have remained. Adhering to orders, Wedge then led his group away; however, Gold Squadron, having disengaged from the Fury, finished the job. Before any of the TIE fighters could intercede, the powerless cruiser had been turned into a flaming inferno. All that remained of its ignited atmosphere had already irreparably erupted into the vacuous expanse of space. The TIE fighters furiously gave chase, but the rebels were proceeding at their best possible speed towards a second target.

Against such overwhelming odds, Luke knew the advantage of taking the first shots for the rebellion could not last long. Angling away from the crippled cruiser, he chose his next target. TIE fighters were already rushing to cut off him off, but the _Dauntless_ was by far the fastest ship of its size. He soared through the interceptors before they could even take aim, quickly closing on the hapless frigate that he had selected for his next assault.

His warship's armaments were not inexhaustible, but the two missiles he had used were well spent. Fortunately, with so many of their short-range fighters now deployed, it was not an option for the Imperial armada to respond with such weapons of their own. It was an advantage for which he was thankful. It made his ship and the frigate essentially well matched, all except for his supernatural skill as a pilot. Within his arsenal there was a missile that could penetrate the shielding around the bridge of a craft the frigate's size. He had to expose the _Dauntless_ to a firestorm in order to gain the required position for a launch, but the result was worth it. With its bridge obliterated, the frigate was absolutely defenseless against the ensuing assault of General Calrissian and Gold Group.

One frigate and one cruiser had been eliminated, and a couple of crucial holes had been opened in the force fields of the Imperial flagship; however, most of the impressive armada remained, and space itself now seemed to be filled with TIE fighters. The rebels were soon forced to go on the defensive. Luke finally used his remaining missiles to take out all the rear gunnery positions of several of the remaining cruisers. This opened some opportunities.

In the Battle of Endor, the Alliance engaged the Imperial Fleet at point-blank range. Of course, the rebels did this to protect themselves from the firepower of the Death Star, but an advantage had also been gained in using the destroyers as obstacles for the TIE fighters. With the rear batteries on several cruisers eliminated, the rebels were then able to lead the TIE fighters right above their intended target areas, which made it appear as if they were simply trying to evade the Imperial pursuit and also made it look like all the shots that were striking the cruiser were merely misses. Those of the TIE fighters were.

There would, of course, be no opportunity to observe the effect of such dangerous industry until the cruiser attempted to engage its hyperdrive, although whether in victory or defeat had yet to be decided. This was actually a long-term plan that only aided them in the immediate in that it also gave the rebels a way to advantageously engage the TIE fighters. The situation however quickly changed as the armada passed to within range of the Star Killer.

Some of the station's missiles had been expended during the confrontation with the cruisers in the Geonosis system. Due to the abundance of targets, it did not take long to deplete all that was left. Luke doubled back on some of the ships whose defensive fields had been softened by the ballistic salvos as the Star Killer's robotic operator followed up its initial effort by making use of the stations assorted batteries of blasters. The immense amount of firepower, which was erupting into space, made it look almost as if the station were actually some kind of volcanic, mechanical moon. Had they only lived long enough to make the observation, its diabolical designers would have been pleasantly impressed by the destructive result that was ruinously wrought as the armada experienced attrition.

R2-D2 was careful to fire only on the Imperial cruisers that were not surrounded by Coalition signals. The station's assault had a profound effect. Blue Group also assumed a position to intercept the nearest ship, which was the _Fury_. Because the flagship's force fields had already suffered some damage, Admiral Turlow had no choice but to order his navigators to bank away. The Clone Emperor chose not to countermand the unavoidable but disappointing decision; but then the entire rest of the Imperial armada opened fire on the rotating station, and every component of the conflict had been engaged.

"We need to collapse its force fields," Darth Chrysalis growled at Admiral Turlow. "I'd prefer that the Star Killer itself suffered no real damage. I'm more willing however to lose the entire fleet than I am that station. We need to surround it with the armada and pound its defensive fields into nonexistence. Once we have accomplished that, I can go aboard and swiftly finish this fight."

"Relay that order and calculate the required grid!" the Admiral barked at his officers. And then, as Blue Squadron fired its first shots, he concluded, "Come about and engage those stunt fighters at point blank range. Whoever's manning the station is soon going to have a lot more targets to worry about. We didn't come to run. We stand and fight. Hold this position and fire!"

"Admiral, sir," one of the scanning technicians hesitantly said. "The firepower of the fleet is making its force fields fluctuate. I've been able to scan it, and there aren't any life signs aboard."

"We're up against a robot," Darth Chrysalis sneered. "And I may even know the one in question."

Chancellor Palpatine had encountered R2-D2 before, but even the Clone Emperor did not fully appreciate the resourcefulness of the redoubtable little droid. Luke and his counterpart had hatched a bold scheme, something they had not thought to try against the cruisers in the Geonosis system. It took time for the Star Killer's primary weapon to be recharged; but, hopefully, less time than it would take for the Dark Lord to board the station and get to the robotic operator.

As the _Fury_ came about to engage its assailants, they suddenly scattered. Although Darth Chrysalis could not actually overhear the electronic warning, which was emanating from the station, he intrinsically understood that the rebels' retreat was not in reaction to the flagship's maneuver. He could not however do anything about what happened next. The Star Killer unleashed its primary weapon, firing it at the _Fury_.

Every electrical system on the flagship overloaded. Sparks flew everywhere, and the crew was plunged into darkness. Had it not been for the fact that the decision to fire was made by a machine, perhaps Darth Chrysalis could have anticipated what was about to happen and then ordered evasive maneuvers. The weapon required a fixed target. The decision to stand and fight had been far more fateful than anyone could have expected.

As the emergency lights came up, Admiral Turlow pushed his way to the nearest of the scanning consoles and announced, "We're adrift. We only have auxiliary power. But our TIE fighters have driven the rebels away from us. We should be safe enough for the time being."

"Safe?" thundered Darth Chrysalis, waving his hand at the admiral; who in response was hurled into a nearby bulkhead from which he then fell away, dead, to the floor. "I did not come here to be safe! I came here to reclaim what is mine! Whoever among you can tell me something the least bit useful can then assume command of this ship!"

"Majesty," said a young lieutenant colonel, standing from the other scanning station. "The bombardment was successful. The defensive shield around the Star Killer has now collapsed. The _Dauntless_ is however on route back to the docking bay. The TIE fighters were not able to intercept it. The station still has some of its weapons; but if we surround a shuttle with a shroud of TIE fighters, we should be able to get a strike team onto it."

"Very good, Admiral," Darth Chrysalis scornfully replied. "I'll expect a strike team to be assembled in our bay by the time I get down there. Arrange for our escort. After that, you may see to your repairs. I've lost too many cruisers to scuttle this ship. She's yours, now. See to it that she can make it home. Can you tell the condition of the _Dauntless_?"

"Barely space-worthy, Majesty," the young man answered. "It took very heavy fire in order return to the station. Our scans also indicate that you should be able to be aboard before the Star Killer's weapon has recharged. The collapse of its defensive shields put a drain on its power reserves."

"Majesty, I'm very sorry to interrupt," said a communications technician, "but we just restored power to the subspace relay; and, as much as I dislike being the bearer of such bad news, I thought you'd want to know. We received a response, though it was actually sent from the Imperial Palace. Apparently, the orbital stations have all been destroyed. It seems that an interstellar Coalition has attacked the capital. Impossibly, the report says that an army of battle droids emerged from the Jedi Temple and that Jedi have actually entered the Imperial palace. Do you want me to send a reply, sir?"

The officer very visibly trembled before the thunderous scowl that was aimed in his direction, but Darth Chrysalis simply said, "Had you tried to hide this from me, you would now be dead – or wishing you were. My only response will be the presence of my battle station in orbit around Coruscant's sun. I'm promoting you to its compliment. Follow me."

As the technician obeyed, Darth Chrysalis indicated officers at scanning, weapons, and navigation; then, he said, "I am taking these men to serve me aboard the Star Killer. And now, Admiral, I'll leave you to see to the needs of your ship."

The space war was still raging all around the Star Killer, but that was of no concern to the Clone Emperor. He needed to get onboard the station before there was a chance for the Star Killer's namesake to become a threat again. He could not risk being set adrift in a defenseless shuttle. That would be far too vulnerable a position for somebody of his inestimable importance. Although he had no concerns about the crossing itself, it would be a different matter if he were to become stranded. A disabled shuttle would make for far too obvious a target. He was well aware that his foundering flagship was still being watched.

"Red Five, this is Blue Leader," Han Solo said, speaking into his headset. "A sizable assembly of TIE fighters is circling around the bay of that disabled command ship. I'll bet they've been tasked to escort the Clone Emperor. We've lost a lot of ships, but we could at least attempt to stop them. Gold and Red Squadrons are still fighting the fleet. I guess we could recall them for the effort, but they'd be sure to bring more TIE fighters along."

"Blue Leader, do not attempt to intercept the Imperial boarding party," Luke replied. "Can you give me any update on _Operation Tailfin_?"

"Blue Group wasn't actually involved in that effort," Han answered. "But last report I heard indicated that as many as half a dozen or more enemy vessels were affected, and that doesn't include those we've already destroyed. How's that warship you were flying?"

"It's pretty badly banged up at this point. I took a lot of fire in order to get back to the station. I took out quite a few TIE fighters along the way though. If I can, I'd recommend that you take Blue Group to help the other squadrons," Luke said. "There's nothing more you can do here."

"I'll reassign all my ships, but I'm going to stay in the vicinity," Han replied as Chewy growled agreeably in the background. "I promised someone that I'd keep an eye on you."

"I've not met anyone who was up to that job! Are you bucking for fleet admiral now?" Luke jokingly asked.

"Has Admiral Ackbar mentioned something about retiring?" Han laughingly asked in reply. "I sure didn't hear anything about that, but I think we're all looking for the day when we become peacekeepers instead of soldiers."

"That day may not be so very far away now," Luke soberly responded.

"Okay, this is it," Han abruptly replied, and with unusual severity. "Be advised that a shuttle has just emerged from the landing bay on the command cruiser. The TIE fighters are clearly taking up defensive positions all around it, and they are definitely heading this way. You're about to have some company."

"Thanks, I'll take it from here," Luke confidently replied. "Get yourselves out of their way. I'll signal you when I'm ready for pickup."

"I just wish there was something I could do for you in the meantime; I mean, besides shooting up some more TIE fighters," Han sadly responded. "But I know what your sister would say in this situation if she were here: may the Force be with you."

The thoughts of Leia and her five friends were only on the immediate as the platoon of Storm Troopers responded to the alarm in the Emperor's quarters. Knowing that they had such company coming, the Jedi judiciously elected to intercept them in the hallway outside the now permanently opened entrance to the extravagant accommodation. While they deftly defended themselves, by deflecting laser fire back upon its originators, Eisley and R9 managed to extract the Clone Emperor's personal code from the control panel in the wall that was just within the antechamber.

"As soon as we've managed to drive them around the corner," Leia whispered, "get back up the staircase; and then, wait for relief on the roof. Those codes could be critical."

"I'll have you know that I just live for these enormously important but all so inglorious assignments," he smirked.

She smiled and then turned to follow her friends, who were already on the offensive. Eisley wisely waited until he could only hear the echoes of the deflected blaster fire; and then, he carried out her instructions. Returning to the rooftop, he used a security code to seal the doorway, resigning himself to the necessity of waiting until the Jedi had secured the area around the Parliament Complex. Although he desperately wanted to watch what was about to happen, he did not dare to take the risk of possibly giving away his position by peering down upon the plaza. Instructing the astrodroid to accompany him, he led the way into an area that would not be exposed to the sensors in the event that their service was to be restored. And there, they waited.

Leia and the jungle Jedi proceeded down a passageway that was pockmarked with blaster divots. The evidence of their advance was also advertised by the presence of the slain Storm Troopers, around and over which they carefully made their way. Mardra and Mox took the lead. Priella and Xan followed about ten paces behind them. Leia guarded the rear. As they moved into the areas beyond the compromised sensors, it was entirely possible that they would encounter ray shields or other automatic forms of defense. The staggered procession was to ensure that somebody would be able to release the others if they somehow became ensnared.

The closer the Jedi got to ground level and the main lobby, the more resistance they encountered. At one point, the Imperial soldiers attempted an ambush as the Jedi were entering a cavernous corridor that connected the annex to the main dome. The RPSG's, rocket-propelled stun grenades, were rerouted, through the use of levitation, back on the Storm Troopers. After that, despite the fact that the Jedi saw ever increasing numbers of potential opponents, they all seemed to be industriously retreating.

Between the Jedi's occasional use of Force-induced bursts of speed to pass across open areas and the soldiers' fear of potentially endangering their own divisions, no forms of automated defense were ever employed. Leia and the jungle Jedi finally arrived at the main foyer for the Parliament Complex; however, the streets beyond were thronging with a vast host of soldiers, all manning Imperial emplacements. It looked like thousands.

"I don't think blasters would do it, but how many grenades do you think it would take to set off one of those antiaircraft guns?" Xan asked. "Maybe we could actually use their artillery against them while we're destroying it."

"It's certainly worth a try," Leia replied. "We really need to thin down their numbers."

"Mardra and I will go back and recover the ones that weren't spent by the soldiers," said Mox. "You three should stay here and hold our position. They know we're waiting to come out and I'm afraid we're just giving them more time to prepare, but it'll be worth the delay if it gives us a realistic way to take out their big guns."

"Even with the range of weapons like that, it's going to be tough getting in position to use them," Mardra observed. "See if you can scope out a good spot for setting up such a shot. We need to have a plan for our deployment when we do hit that door."

As Mox and Mardra rushed expeditiously away, almost immediately blurring into the background of the labyrinth-like lobby, Priella said, "I wonder why those Storms Troopers don't just go ahead and attack. They know we're in here. They could turn those big guns around and blast this building."

"The cruisers are probably keeping them too busy for them to take the risk of turning the artillery," Leia replied. "There may also be a bit of a conflict in command. After all, the Clone Emperor apparently ordered a recalling of the Galactic Congress. It would be hard to oblige him if there were nowhere for the representatives to assemble. It seems that he did not foresee this situation, which is interesting in itself, just as his predecessor did not anticipate his assassination aboard the second Death Star. In his failure Darth Chrysalis has also limited the options of his soldiers; and I don't think he'll even be coming back to call them into account if they were to decide to disobey."

"The sooner they figure that out, the better it will be for the rebellion," Xan observed. "But I'm afraid they'll fight to the death anyway. My understanding is that they didn't elect to disband when his predecessor was destroyed."

"Yes," Leia delicately agreed. "I am afraid that the rebirth of the Republic will require nothing less than their total eradication. While it might be possible for society to reabsorb the officers, considering the examples of Madine and Eisley, the clones were created for a single purpose. Oppression is part of their identities. They have no place in civilization any more than the Sith who ordered them into existence."

Despite the considerable distance, which they had been required to cross in order to collect the requested weapons, Mox and Mardra returned at that moment. Unfortunately, their friends had made no progress in determining the best possible deployment. Priella however quickly offered a constructive suggestion.

"If we step out these doors, we're going to have our hands full right away," she said. "It's going to be hard for us to fire the grenades if we're being showered with blaster fire, but what if we came down from above? They're probably not expecting us to leap down into the street from a great altitude. So, we go just as high up in this structure as we can while still keeping the nearest antiaircraft guns in range of our launchers; then, we jump while everyone's distracted by the detonations. We'll be on them before they know it."

"That sounds to me like the best possible plan," Xan replied. Everyone else agreed.

Watching through the windows from a distance, the Storm Troopers were suspicious when the five Jedi all seemed to instantaneously disappear back into the recesses of the atrium; however, they were also aware that their comrades were carefully covering every other exit into the surrounding streets. They mistakenly assumed that their numbers had ultimately discouraged the curiously absent enemies; and so, they were surprised by the ensuing sounds of grenade launchers almost immediately overhead.

One of the antiaircraft guns detonated in response to the concentrated assault. Only a moment later, a second one succumbed as well. The blasts blinded most of the men in the immediate vicinity. The Jedi were in their midst before they were even aware of what was happening. So disorganized therefore was the response, the five invaders managed to get into position to attack a third piece of artillery before the commanding officers even understood the danger. The loss of the third emplacement created a critical weakness in one side of the circular defense. In response, a substantial quantity of the cruisers began to maneuver to that side of the Parliament Complex and prepare themselves to advance.

The Jedi waded into the ranks of sightless soldiers, defending themselves through the use of human shields. Had they not elected this approach, they would almost surely have been overwhelmed by the storm of firepower that was being focused on them from outside the effected area. In this way they were then able to advance against an artillery piece at the very outskirts of the perimeter around the Parliament Complex. When it fell before their grenade fire, which also exhausted their supply of ammunition, it opened an avenue all the way to the front of the Senate Building. The cruisers began to press their attack.

"We did it!" Mardra exclaimed. "Our ships can get inside their perimeter now!"

"We've still got a very serious problem," Leia soberly responded, disliking what she now felt obligated to say. "Our secondary purpose, after changing the transponder code, was to recall the Galactic Congress and protect it. Somebody recalled it for us, but many of the delegates are trapped inside and could easily become hostages. We've got to get back into the building. We're way out of position here."

"It'll take a while for all the Imperial positions to collapse," Xan replied, "but we could contact Admiral Ackbar and ask him to use fire from the _Forthright_ to open an avenue for our return. I wonder how long it'll take for any other Jedi to respond to our summons and how many more there might really be."

Leia did not even attempt to answer; she had activated her com-link. The jungle Jedi surrounded her and deflected all the firepower from the Storm Troopers while she made their request to the admiral, and not surprisingly he was pleased at the opportunity to be of assistance. Homing in on her signal, the _Forthright_ began to drive the defenders away from the entrance to the Parliament Complex, opening a lane between the two positions.

Using a tightly beamed transmission, Leia thanked Admiral Ackbar and told him that Londle Eisley was waiting on the rooftop of the Executive Annex Building, or the Imperial Palace, and was in possession of the Clone Emperor's personal code. Ackbar promised to send a drop-ship to collect the collaborator just as soon as it was safe. He signed off.

Just as the five Jedi were about to become a blur, executing a Force-induced return to the Senate Building, a voice spoke from surprisingly close at hand, asking, "You're the ones who sent the transponder signal, aren't you? What do you want us to do?"

Turning towards the source of the sound, they saw that a pair of lightsaber-wielding individuals had almost instantaneously approached them. The blinding speed with which they moved, perhaps even more so than the weapons that were glittering in their grasps, signified their association as members of the Jedi Order. Neither appeared to be human, and Leia did not even recognize either of the races that were represented before her; but she smiled, nevertheless. Understanding how immediately their group needed to absorb these new allies, she swiftly introduced herself and the jungle Jedi.

"I am Awswi," said the long-limbed male. His skin was the color of cinnamon and his lightsaber was a blazing blood red, reminding Leia of the one her brother had apparently appropriated. Deflecting an incoming salvo of laser blasts, as if the action was incidental, he bowed before the assembly.

"I'm Julither," said the yellow-scaled female, also bowing. The pupils of her strikingly catlike eyes were ringed with iridescent orange, but the benighted blade of her lightsaber shown like a black light. The soft drone, which the weapon emitted, also had an unusual tone. Acknowledging their obvious interest, she concluded, "The crystal is manufactured, a prototype. It works remarkably well for penetrating force fields."

"If you wouldn't mind doing so, please accompany us to the Senate Building," Leia said as if it were actually an amiable invitation to a dinner party. "We need to protect the senators who've already assembled. Once the Coalition has secured the perimeter, we'll try to get all the other delegates to land. But for now we must make certain that none are taken as hostages."

"That would be most commendable," Awswi wryly replied.

The seven Jedi abruptly turned and raced towards the most prominent feature of the Parliament Complex. Though its official designation, for decades, had been the Imperial Building, many still remembered it as the Senate Building. Colossal conduits connected the Executive Annex Dome to it, which for precisely the same period had been known as the Imperial Palace. It had even undergone some internal alterations. However, nobody besides Imperialists commonly called it that. The Jedi arrived with unparalleled impunity at the lobby of the Senate Building; and then, they raced inside to the immense meeting chamber.

At the orders of their officers, some of the Storm Troopers had already entered and begun the business of detaining the delegates. Because of the antiaircraft guns outside, they had been afraid to flee. Now, they were being powerfully prevented from doing so.

It was no smaller matter for the Jedi to dispose of all the soldiers that were already inside with the senators. They elected to enter the spacious expanse near its apex and then descend from platform to platform as they engaged the formidable representatives of the Imperial presence. Having temporarily secured those colossal confines, they then erected ray shields across the entrances. Between the Jedi and the delegates' security forces, they were able to secure the vast chamber.

While they waited, war raged all around the area where, for centuries, the power of the Republic had resided. It disturbed Leia deeply that she now had no choice but to let her rebel associates take all the risks while she sat sequestered and did almost nothing. She considered the possibility of having one of the force fields lowered just long enough for the Jedi to exit and rejoin the action; but there was no assurance that their perimeter would remain impregnable, and her assignment was to safeguard the Senate. A refusal to wait could have catastrophic consequences. That is precisely what Anakin had failed to do at the insistence of Master Windu.

She winced with each explosion that buffeted the building. Her insight informed her that some of the cruisers were sacrificing themselves in order to utterly eliminate all that remained of the Imperial emplacements. People whom she had known for most of her life were dying, close friends whom she could've conceivably saved. She involuntarily tightened her grip on her lightsaber as she wrestled with the temptation to disobey her instructions. Finally, she forced herself to relax and accept her assignment.

Only moments later, there was an explosion overhead. In a last, desperate attempt to save themselves by taking hostages, a squad of Storm Troopers had blown a hole in the upper reaches of the Senate Chamber and entered the conclave. Leaping from one platform to another, as they accomplished their ascent, the Jedi were the only thing that kept the senators from ultimately being bartered. As the last of these soldiers finally fell, Admiral Ackbar used Leia's com-link to contact her.

"The Parliament Complex is secure, and we've confirmed that the battle droids were indeed deactivated by the loss of their command signal," he said. "We've recovered your friend from the top of the Annex Dome, and we're encouraging all the other delegates to land. We suffered losses, but not beyond what we'd expected. With the orbital platforms destroyed and the planet now surrounded by consulate ships, we might actually be able to repel a limited Imperial invasion. It all depends on how many of their cruisers actually return from the Hoth system and whether the Clone Emperor is with them."

"And how many of our friends," Leia quickly countered. "But we've got a much more immediate concern than that. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the only sector we've secured. The other city shields need to be taken down. We've still got an entire world to win."

"Gold Leader, this is Blue One. How's it going out there?" Han said into his headset.

"Some of the TIE fighters withdrew to the flagship; and just in time since we are just about out of fighters ourselves," Lando replied. "Blue group is almost gone, though Red Group still has a few fighters left. It's a good thing you sent Blue Squadron to help, but I think we've done as much damage to the cruisers as we can. You have a suggestion?"

"No matter what happens on the station now, we need to concentrate on getting rid of the TIE fighters around it," Han answered, his tone suddenly severe. "If Luke wins, he will need to be pulled out. His warship is shot. If he loses, we need to be sure the Clone Emperor is stranded on the station and that it's then destroyed. So, I am requesting that all wings fall back to the Star Killer and engage the Imperial escort."

"Last stand, huh?" Lando rhetorically asked in reply. "I agree. All wings, this is Gold Leader. Fall back to the station and destroy the orbiting TIE fighters at point-blank range. The cruisers won't be able to fire on us without taking the risk of hitting the station. They won't dare, not with the Clone Emperor aboard."

While the shuttle containing Darth Chrysalis and his handpicked boarding party was landing in the docking bay, beside the badly battered _Dauntless_, R2-D2 was proceeding to a computer access interface that was situated deep within the exceedingly constrictive maintenance corridors. From that almost inaccessible location, the little astrodroid would be able to monitor everything that happened on the station and control every system that was still functional. Luke was aware that all such contrived control could be mechanically wrested away from his manufactured friend. However, by the time that could happen, he and the Clone Emperor should have concluded their showdown. If things went badly, the droid should still have just enough time to execute the emergency option and destroy the star. Knowing Darth Chrysalis would find him, he simply stayed on the observation deck, which actually offered more room for a lightsaber duel than even the large compartment in which he had fought and defeated Darth Maul.

Darth Chrysalis and his technical officers headed directly for the bridge. R2-D2 had already determined that there would not be enough power to fire the Star Killer's primary weapon system if they wasted it on trying to set up ray shields. Luke was also uncertain if it would even be possible to constrain the clone in this way. Therefore, the progress of the boarding party was unhindered.

Upon entering the bridge, Darth Chrysalis was exceedingly dismayed, although not altogether surprised, to find that the control panels had been decisively demolished; but he was also aware of the robotic option. He instructed his officers to simply return to the shuttle in the docking bay and activate one of the astrodroids that he had brought along for the occasion. As they turned to begin the long walk back to the bay, Darth Chrysalis blindingly sped by them with Force-induced speed on his way to the observation deck. He actually arrived at his destination before his officers had even vacated the bridge.

"I can't say that I'm impressed with the condition of your command," he said as he located Luke at the far end. "I'm going to have to think twice about putting you in charge of any other installations, and that could create quite a problem for our future affiliations. But surely you must understand that you have lost. As wayward as you've demonstrated yourself to be, I can't believe that you are also foolish enough to carry this charade to its foreseeable and fatal conclusion. Submit now to the authority of your Sith Master. Don't make me kill you. You have to know that you cannot possibly hope to destroy me."

"I will do what I must," Luke replied, unknowingly emulating the words of Obi-Wan in a similar situation. "Even if I can't destroy you, it doesn't mean you can't be destroyed."

"You resort to the rhetoric of the Jedi," Darth Chrysalis sneered. "Thus, you continue to disappoint me. I'll teach you not to speak in such senseless riddles. In fact, I've much to teach you, but you now need to decide if you're even going to survive the first lesson. Give me my lightsaber, it's not well-suited to your mechanical hand, and surrender now."

"I'm the one who's here to instruct you," the Dark Jedi said. "You've not understood how your predecessor failed to foresee his destruction. You have repeated his mistake."

There was a fleeting hint of hesitation on the Clone Emperor's face before he finally asked in reply, "What could you possibly understand about such a thing? Do you actually expect me to accept that your insight is superior to mine? Darth Vader destroyed me. My apprentice turned against me. Such is the manner by which most Sith Masters have met their ends."

"Ends that they all, each and every one of them, failed to foresee! And yet, you still don't understand why!" the Dark Jedi loudly countered, raising his voice so that it echoed throughout the enclosure.

"And I suppose you think that you do!" Darth Chrysalis screamed in reply, masking his uncertainty with anger. Somehow, it seemed as if the son of Skywalker was actually speaking straight to the odd emptiness that he had experienced ever since awakening.

"When I first began to train under Obi-Wan and he was explaining to me about the Force, I asked him if it controlled my actions," Luke recounted. "He said, 'Partially, but it also obeys your commands.'"

"Of course!" Darth Chrysalis replied as he began to threateningly close the distance between them. "Every student of the Force knows that, regardless of which side they are actually on."

"You're gravely mistaken. That definitely is not the Sith way," the Dark Jedi forcefully said, bringing his adversary to an unintentional stop.

"Of course it is," the Clone Emperor rejoined, but his voice sounded somewhat less than certain. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"In exactly what way do you claim that the Force actually controls your actions?" the Dark Jedi forebodingly demanded.

"It gives guidance to our actions, which is true for both the Sith and the Jedi," Darth Chrysalis replied as he resumed his ominous advance.

"Really? Exactly how does it do this?" the Dark Jedi pressed as if he were unaware of the answer. He did not have the demeanor of someone in a no-win situation.

"Through the exercise of our foresight!" Darth Chrysalis impatiently replied as if the answer were obvious, though he suddenly stopped again as he realized the implications of what he had just said.

"That's only true if you can actually have what you want," the Dark Jedi portentously said in reply. "But you proceed from the assumption that you can and are blinded to any alternatives. If the only way for you to save your life was to beg forgiveness and let go of your Empire, you wouldn't even be aware of it; because you are unwilling to believe that you might have to give up either. The Sith have always and only been dictators, and the source of their undoing is their failure to realize that you cannot dictate to the Force."

"In precisely what way is it, then, that your foresight has failed you?" Darth Chrysalis demanded as he finally stood before the Dark Jedi and revealed that he was unarmed.

"It hasn't!" Luke loudly objected, and for some reason his voice had the ring of truth.

"You can demonstrate that now by returning my lightsaber to me. As you can see, I haven't had the opportunity to replace it yet. You've already got Darth Maul's saberstaff, which you're welcome to keep; but you must either give mine back to me or try to kill me with it. Decide now!"

Almost instantly, the unintentionally loaned lightsaber flew into the Dark Jedi's hand. The blood red blade brightly deployed. Responding with its wielder's superhuman speed and supernatural skill, it circled back and swept down to cleave its cloned opponent right in two, but the reaction of Darth Chrysalis was even more instantaneous. He reached up and impossibly caught the descending blade with his bare hands. The shimmering shaft of arcing energy noisily protested in his grasp as he held it fast. Before Luke could even attempt an alternate attack, lightning was flying from the fingers of the Clone Emperor. It swiftly traveled down the length of the hissing blade all the way to the power pack in the hilt. The handle exploded in Luke's hands, hurling him backward and nearly causing him to collide with the expansive transparency before which he was standing.

"Wrong choice," Darth Chrysalis sneered, blowing playfully across the palms of his impossibly uninjured hands. "Fortunately, it looks like I no longer need a lightsaber, even if you're so stupid as to now sacrifice Darth Maul's saberstaff. You're beaten. Admit your defeat or I'll be forced to kill you. You've now seen that you cannot possibly destroy me."

The Clone Emperor could not see the apparition that abruptly materialized between them as Anakin appeared before his son, softly saying, "Luke, you know what must now be done. Do not fear to make this sacrifice. Chrysalis can escape from the station before the shock wave could reach it, and your robot's control is about to be replaced. Foresight has shown you the answer. You must finish what you've started. We'll all see you then."

"You're right, I can't destroy you. But," the Dark Jedi replied as he raised his eyes to look defiantly at Darth Chrysalis before concluding, "you can destroy yourself."

"Whatever," the Clone Emperor countered, sarcastically enunciating every syllable.

Raising his horrific hands, he unleashed his power upon his unyielding opponent. In response, Luke reached out to intercept the electrical emissions. Yoda had schooled him in the technique, showing him the showdowns with both Count Dooku and Darth Sidious. However, the Clone Emperor's power was far more formidable, and he understood what Luke was trying to accomplish. He angrily increased his assault. In only moments, it was beyond anything with which Luke could actually hope to contend.

The Dark Jedi however had another response, one that was extremely mysterious to the Clone Emperor. It appeared to him as if the recipient of the assault was somehow absorbing the incinerating energy, though there would surely be no way to survive such an improbable ploy. Luke's hands were beginning to glow. With his scowling expression giving evidence of exasperated disbelief, the clone brought his attack to a crescendo.

The Dark Jedi's hands were forced aside by the torrent, but they curiously acted like lightning rods. As the clone continued to unleash his electric cascade, all the current was being channeled into his opponent through the now iridescent, outstretched arms.

Troubled determination was written upon the manufactured face of Darth Chrysalis as he continued to pour his power into the increasingly intense image of his enemy. The bright radiance was soon spreading into his adversary's torso, running up and down the length of Luke's body. The form before him no longer even appeared to be human. With his feet together and his arms outstretched, Luke began to take on the appearance of a blazing cross; and Darth Chrysalis sensed that a kind of critical threshold would soon be reached, one that would result in the demise of his noncompliant apprentice. He put his all into the attack, evoking the most malicious assault ever unleashed by one of the Sith.

This threshold was ultimately achieved. The radiance coalesced, obscuring the Dark Jedi's features completely; but, as this transformation occurred, a shock wave pulsed out from the shimmering image. It calamitously shattered the transparency that had spanned the expanse at end of the observation deck, only meters from where their encounter was occurring. Unbeknownst to Darth Chrysalis, the confiscated saberstaff had already been used to sunder the backup systems that would have activated ray shields to secure the aperture. The shutters had also been sabotaged. There was no emergency response.

Explosive decompression sent the Clone Emperor flying. Although indistinguishable as such, Luke's feet were fused to the deck. Darth Chrysalis collided with the cross-like image and clung to it for dear life as the outflow of atmosphere rushed all around him. At such close range he was able to distinguish Luke's eyes within the radiance, and he was shocked by the unanticipated emotion that he saw revealed therein. It was neither agony nor even anger. It was a pity far more profound than anything he had ever imagined. The voice of his nearly incorporeal nephew abruptly manifested itself in his mind.

"You have waited too long to embrace the redemption of sacrifice. And by forsaking that forgiveness, you've forfeited your affiliation with the Force," Luke said. However, as he voiced the pejorative verdict, he sounded remarkably like Yoda. "Consigned yourself you have to the outer darkness."

Luke transformed into the Force, assembling with his mentors. The cross dissolved. Suddenly, there was absolutely nothing between the Clone Emperor and the lethal void of space. Out of the aperture he flew, almost as if he had been spewed forth by the very doomsday device that his predecessor had ordered into existence. In vain he attempted to use his lightning to stop himself, but he could no more do that than Darth Sidious had been able to arrest his deadly descent into the bowels of a Death Star. His scream was mercilessly ripped from his lungs by the very galaxy that he had thought to subjugate.

Outside the station the remnants of the three rebel squadrons had all but eliminated the envelope of TIE fighters. Although they had constantly put themselves in harm's way in order to try and preserve the lives of their friends, the ships of the leaders were almost all that was left. They strategically hugged the Star Killer's badly battered surface as they angled to intercept the last few TIE fighters. As Lando had predicted, the commanders of the cruisers obviously feared to fire on targets that were situated so close to the station.

With Han and Chewbacca in the cockpit, the _Falcon_ was quickly closing on the final fighter when a shower of shattered transparency erupted on their starboard side. Having destroyed the TIE fighter, they turned back to investigate the phenomenon.

A figure abruptly erupted through what looked like an accidental opening in the skin of the otherwise stalwart station. Flailing fingers of lightning seemed to lick all around the electrically enshrouded shape as it emerged almost directly before the speeding ship. It seemed to Han as if the mysterious and obviously unprepared astronaut could only have one identity, one whose infamy exceeded that of anyone else in all of galactic history.

"What the?" he rhetorically asked. But then, sizing up the situation, he tightened his jaw and fired on the unanticipated obstacle. The_ Falcon_ flew right through the dissipating cloud that had been Darth Chrysalis. With voluminous vocalizations, Chewy uproariously applauded the incident.

"I'd say it's time to extract Luke," Han summarized. And then, he said, "Chewy, use the com-link and see if our passenger is ready to be picked up. We're gonna have to do this quick, before the commanders of those cruisers figure out what just happened. And see if R2 is ready to fire that station's primary weapon. Most of those Imperial slugs are about to find that they're a captive audience for the last show in this system."

R2-D2 responded to the inquiry, but it was not the anticipated answer. With access to every sensor throughout the station, the astrodroid was aware of what had happened to Luke. The robot also knew that its Imperial counterpart was only moments away from disconnecting it from its control of the station. The only option was to give the evacuation signal. It knew there would be no time for executing a recovery once the primary weapon system had been fired. And if they delayed any longer, there would be no opportunity to destroy most of the Imperial Fleet.

"All wings, this is Gold Leader," Lando said in response to receiving the evacuation signal. "Hit your hyperdrives and get out of here. I'll be hoping to see every one of you at the rendezvous point. Be sure to check your scopes for pursuit just as soon as you drop into normal space. As sorry as I am to say it, I don't think we actually managed to cripple every cruiser. Nevertheless, despite our losses, I'd call our mission a complete success."

R2-D2 fired the Star Killer's implosion-inducing weapon for the last time. The rebel ships sped out of the doomed system. Few of the cruisers were able to follow, and some exploded in the attempt. The crew of the marooned flagship, the _Fury_, had an impressive view of the coming conflagration. Only the Imperial officers who had become trapped on the station had a similar ringside seat as the surviving, sabotaged cruisers all attempted to escape with nothing more than impulse power. Of course, they were unsuccessful.

Within the cramped confines of the Star Killer's maintenance tunnels, R2-D2 spent the last few minutes by rummaging through banks of old memories. It recalled its origins on Naboo. It considered its introductions to the Jedi, Anakin, and C-3PO. It remembered the many missions in which it had so successfully participated, even coming through for its imperiled companions at critical times. It examined recordings of its interactions with Luke. Finally however, it replayed one of the last things the Jedi Master had said to it:

"_R2, when I first met you on Tatooine, it never occurred to me that one day we'd be destroying stars together; let alone one that would wipe out that very world. If there really is any justice in the universe whatsoever, I don't suppose either of us should survive this crusade_."

**Epilogue: The Restoration of the Republic**

The sector containing the Parliament Complex had been secured, but at great loss to the Coalition; and, as Leia had so poignantly pointed out, the entire rest of Coruscant was still being held hostage by millions of extremely desperate, ray shielded soldiers. To his consternation, Admiral Ackbar had accurately anticipated the tremendous difficulty of the ground offensive. To complicate matters, although they seemed obviously overjoyed about the liberation of the governmental sector and had even assisted with the removing of the orbital platforms, none of the delegates or their security forces now seemed willing to endure the endangerment that would be entailed by any attempt to free the rest of the essentially imprisoned planet. The successes seemed to have resulted in a stalemate.

A subspace message had been received from General Calrissian. It announced that his squadrons had engaged the Imperial Fleet. Everyone was on tenterhooks, wondering what the outcome would ultimately be. However, they could not afford to wait. If they had not successfully freed the other sectors of Coruscant before that contest concluded; they would run the risk of having their efforts hampered by the arrival of the surviving Imperial cruisers, and the chances of eventually doing so would be greatly decreased. There was some good news though. Since Londle Eisley had passed along the code, he and Tysha were now safely inside the Senate Chamber. And two more Jedi Knights had responded to the transponder's summons.

Para-Cleet, a human, had arrived without a lightsaber and with the actual owner of his commandeered craft right on his tailfins. Only his Force-induced speed enabled him to evade volleys of blaster fire until Leia and the other six Jedi arrived on the scene. She tried to appease the stolen spaceship's owner by offering him a valuable artifact from the Temple's vault, the same repository from which she also obtained the lightsaber that she gave to the Jedi knight. They had opened it with the Clone Emperor's code, provided by Londle. Considering the situation, the owner declined to accept the trophy, but settled for the replacement of all the fuel that had been expended due to the act of theft.

Gwonameeth was a multi-segmented, multi-limbed creature. Its translucent, purple pelt reminded Leia more of fiber-optic filaments than of hair. Because of its considerable size and abundant covering, it made her think of Chewbacca, although it was apparently androgynous. It came equipped with two lightsabers, which it wielded with an extremely efficient and equally exotic technique. The members of its race were all telepathic. Leia was amazed by the fluidity of the images it projected into her mind, which were infinitely easier to understand than most of the spoken tongues she had encountered. Since its sounds were not even reminiscent of communication, she was glad it had such capacity.

Dawn had come to the Parliament Complex, but the sky was filled with the smoke of battle. Storms could be seen as they raged in the distance, where the force fields above the nearby sectors intersected each other in the tumultuous sky. Unfortunately, this was exactly where the fellowship of nine lightsaber wielders was going to have to try and go. Those shields could only be disabled from the ground, and all the thoroughfares into the adjacent sectors were certain to be profoundly defended. Holding a quick council, it was decided that their best option would be a path of unexpected approach.

The Jedi used a storm at one of these intersections to help hide their advancement as they swiftly moved towards one of the adjacent sectors. Through their facility with the Force, they were able pass with impunity between the lightning bolts that were falling all around the region. Their lightsabers deflected everything that they were unable to simply dodge. They approached along ground level, using a walkway that was sheltered only by some of the shorter buildings. With all the electrical activity in the air, this helped to mask their life sign signatures from the various scanning systems. They arrived at the edge of the force field without alerting any of the Imperial occupants beyond; but with the shield at full power, even pedestrian traffic was unable to penetrate the bright boundary.

Turning to Julither, Xan said, "You seemed to think you knew some way for us to get through this thing. If so, now's the time."

"If the eight of you will thrust your lightsabers through the shield in a semicircle, I will try to short-out the disrupted section with mine," she replied. "It may take a little patience to get your blades through the boundary; and, if this works, you'll also need to hold them in place as you pass through the resultant aperture. But it should work."

She was right on all counts. It was difficult to get their arcing blades through the ray shield; so difficult, in fact, that Gwonameeth ended up only inserting the blade of one of its two lightsabers. It would've been nearly impossible to keep the first one secured while it struggled to insert the second. Ultimately however, the powerful perimeter was pierced by a semicircle of eight lightsabers. Julither activated hers and stabbed it into the center of the formation. That little section of the force field failed, opening an aperture.

One by one, the Jedi carefully crossed through the opening. As they did, they had to reach around and keep their respective lightsabers in place; but, ultimately, they were all assembled on the inside of the shielded sector. Having accomplished that, Julither used her lightsaber to replace that of Leia. She carefully rolled hers out of position and used it to replace that of the next person in the semicircle. They continued this procession until everybody was holding their lightsaber from the inside of the shield; and then, they were all able to simultaneously extract their blades by simply pulling them through. The shield snapped shut. No alarms sounded in response. Their entry had indeed gone undetected.

The locations of the force field generators for each respective sector were common knowledge. The Jedi used Force-induced speed to quickly cover that distance. Although each facility was generally kept under extremely heavy guard, and even more so now in the midst of the emergency, the Storm Troopers were simply no match for the lightsaber-swinging members of the assault team. In order to be certain that no agent of the Empire would be able to activate it again, Leia and her friends destroyed the facility. Responding to her signal, the _Forthright_ and the other remaining cruisers began to move against the gun emplacements in the newly unshielded sector. The resulting barrages were intense.

"Once again," said Xan, restating the obvious, "the guns really need to be taken out from the ground; otherwise, we're going to lose all our remaining ships just securing this sector."

"It is going to take us an excruciatingly long time to win back this entire world in this way," Awswi observed. "And we don't even have any idea of how much time there might be before Imperial reinforcements could arrive."

Abruptly, Leia turned away from the rest of the group and looked wistfully up into the sky. The Jedi rushed to stand around her, but no one actually knew what to say. They all intrinsically understood what she was sensing. Suddenly, she sagged to her knees. Mox waited a moment before placing his hand under her elbow and gently encouraging her to stand. There had been a momentary respite in the fighting, but they knew it could not be expected to last.

"Come on now," he softly said. "We've got to help the cruisers take out all these gun emplacements."

"No," she decisively said, rising abruptly to her feet. "We need to call off the cruisers. The remnants of the Imperial Fleet will be on their way here. We can't put our spacecraft at risk in trying to take back the planet. They need to head back up into orbit and prepare to repel."

"But there's been no word," Awswi objected. "Even if your brother has fallen, it may not mean that he wasn't successful. The Star Killer could still have been destroyed with the Emperor aboard. We mustn't assume the worst."

"I'm not assuming anything," Leia emotionally answered. "Luke has transformed into the Force; of that I am only too sure. I can't speak to the condition of the Clone Emperor, but we need to be prepared for anything, nevertheless. And a subspace communication isn't going to reach us before the ships do, whichever side they're actually on. We'll only get our update from the survivors, whether they're friends or foes."

"I see your point," Awswi agreed. "You should contact Admiral Ackbar. But our task remains unaltered, unless you believe we should be onboard the cruisers now. I am not at all sure our presence there would make that much of a difference. I think the removal of these Imperial emplacements may have just become our sole responsibility."

"If the cruisers withdraw," Xan patiently commented, "we can no loner consider the Parliament Complex as secured. If you'll remember, we were only freed up to go on the offensive by the presence of the rest of the Coalition. With the Emperor possibly on his way, our primary responsibility again becomes the safeguarding of the senators. It'll be up to our ground forces to finish securing this sector; but at least we've now seen that it is possible to penetrate the planetary shields, and so has the Imperial occupation in the surrounding sectors. Let them be the only ones demoralized by this development."

"Well said," Para-Cleet agreed. "This isn't a retreat, it's a redeployment. We need to safeguard the ground we've gained and await the opportunity to finish what we started."

"Then let's do our best to get back to the Senate District before any ships, Imperial or otherwise, start dropping out of hyperspace," Julither concluded as Leia finished her discussion with Admiral Ackbar.

The cruisers were all veering away and returning to altitude as the Jedi spun around and raced back towards the Parliament Complex. As the shield above the second sector fell, General Madine had started assembling his soldiers to swiftly take advantage of the opportunity; but, without the Jedi to help soften the fortified defenses, the Admiral would not order the troops forward. He would not waste their lives on a questionable campaign.

Except for the cruisers, the entire compliment of the Coalition was drawing back into Galactic City. As the Jedi were arriving, explosions began to rock the ground. Turning to look in the direction from which they had just come, they could tell that the artillery in the next sector, from which they had just fled, was being destroyed. Apparently, the citizens had assembled and taken care of the emplacements. Still disorganized, largely because of the loss of the sector's ray shielding and the presumably misdirecting maneuver of the Coalition cruisers, the Storm Troopers had not been ready for the unforeseen revolution.

The _Forthright_ and its squadron of cruisers had only just returned to space when the first evacuees from the Hoth system began to drop into the system. Leia was very elated to learn that the _Millennium Falcon_ was one of them. The ship of General Calrissian was right behind it. With wingmen on either side of him, Wedge Antilles followed. Their signal informed the Admiral that they were the only survivors, but they also happily reported the destruction of the Star Killer and the death of Darth Chrysalis. They advised the Alliance and its allies to prepare for the Imperial cruisers, which they knew had also survived.

In the aftermath of such auspicious announcements, it was not hard to enlist the aid of some of the consulate craft that were also in orbit. Many, in fact, had already helped in the removing of the Imperial platforms. Chairman Chelingus chose this opportune time to arrive with an armada from Utapau. Admiral Ackbar ingeniously organized all the largest vessels into a defensive formation; but he dismissed the smaller rebel ships, saying they had already done all he could ask of them. Generals Calrissian, Solo, and Antilles were sent to the surface. And then, everyone awaited the arrival of the Imperial cruisers.

The survivors of the mission to the Hoth system had just accomplished their docking at the Parliament Complex when the invasion fleet arrived. Leia and the Jedi joined them as they disembarked, and they all heard the report together. There was a command ship and over half a dozen Corellian cruisers – a formidable fighting force. Sighting the orbital opposition, the Imperial dreadnaughts decisively angled to attack. Since nobody actually occupied the Imperial Throne any longer, Leia wondered if a diplomatic solution might be possible. With the Admiral's approval, she explored that option, contacting the command ship. As everybody stood around her at the tech station on the _Falcon_, she found herself speaking with its captain, a much more contemporary incarnation of Commander Cody.

"Captain, our ships preceded yours out of the Hoth system," she said. "We know the Clone Emperor was killed. Please stand down. On whose behalf are you coming against Coruscant? Our two armadas are too well matched. You'll bring about the annihilation of both, and to what purpose? Spare the lives of your men. I implore you. Heave to and let us discuss the terms of your disarmament."

"Our situation is not as uncertain as you would have us imagine," Commander Cody replied. "Only two sectors on Coruscant have been stripped of their shields. Although the orbital platforms have been destroyed, we are not without further recourse. We may only succeed in destroying your orbiting armada; but when our reinforcements arrive, you will not be able to resist them. And another regent may swiftly be installed. The Emperor has wisely made himself like one of us – replaceable. You've already sacrificed a great many ships for nothing. All insurgents should evacuate the planet, and your cruisers should all break orbit and head for the Outer Rim. Maybe we'll be too busy restoring order to come after you. This is the only opportunity I'll give you to withdraw. If you don't take it, you will be destroyed."

His words were rife with confidence, and Leia could see the confused concern on all the faces around her. There had been no report received whatsoever indicating even the possibility of any Imperial reinforcements. If Cody was telling the truth, their situation was critically compromised. However, to Leia, some of the things he had said did not add up, even if he actually believed them himself. Her insight offered a suggestion.

Switching over to the subspace array, she attempted to respond to his ultimatum. It was obvious that her message had not been received. Since the cruisers were inside the system, it was standard procedure to use the normal channels; and, since the subspace communicator and subspace scanner were components of the same system, it was easy for her to deduce that the one on Cody's command ship was not functioning.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Commander Cody," she finally said, switching back to the original frequency. "There is one thing I would like to ask however if you would be so kind as to indulge another question."

"If you're requesting terms of surrender, you should know that capitulation must be unconditional," he brusquely replied.

"Of course," she glibly agreed. "But that's not actually what I wanted to ask. I really was wondering just how long your subspace scanner has been out of operation."

"How could you possibly have known about that?" he asked in reply.

"It was simple, really. Playing out a hunch, I tried to contact you through subspace," she openly confessed. "When you obviously did not receive the transmission, I realized that your array was offline. Maybe it was damaged in the battle, or maybe it was already malfunctioning. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that your intelligence reporting is probably incomplete. It sounds like you think you've still got more Clone Emperors in reserve. I'm wondering then if the reinforcements to which you referred are supposed to be coming from Kamino."

"Of course," Commander Cody replied as if restating the obvious.

"Would you please patch him into Coruscant's subspace array?" Leia asked as she turned to Londle, who was standing there with Tysha. As he nodded and complied, Leia keyed the microphone and said, "Commander, we're giving you access to the subspace array in this system. If you'll scan for it, you'll see Kamino no longer exists. Before it was used to destroy the Hoth system, the Star Killer was first used on Kamino and Geonosis. Your reinforcements will never arrive, and neither will your new Emperor. You're almost in range of our armada now. Are you still so certain that it's wise to dismiss diplomacy?"

"Stand by," Cody curtly replied.

The mood of the onlookers was still one of anticipation, but it was now of a far more hopeful variety. Being a Storm Trooper, the absence of reinforcements definitely did not mean that Cody would shy away from a fight. It might even make his defiance that much more desperate. However, there was the overshadowing question of what he could hope to actually accomplish by sacrificing himself and everybody in his command. Though she had never hoped to encounter insight in a clone, Leia found herself wishing for just that.

Londle had replaced her at the technical station. She and the other onlookers could all see that the command ship was indeed accessing the subspace array and conducting an extensive scan. After their initial sweep, they stopped for a little while and ran a series of diagnostics on the system, obviously suspecting subterfuge. Then, they ran the scans again. Leia instructed Londle not to interfere with them when they switched over to make use of its communication option.

At first, they seemed to simply be substantiating all their scans with some of the out-system operators. Having achieved that, they switched over to a subspace channel that Londle told them was reserved for the dissemination of executive commands. Leia came very close to telling him to interrupt their access. She felt that there was some weird kind of danger in letting the transmissions go through; but, strangely enough, it was not to the Coalition. She listened tensely to the voice coming over the subspace communicator.

"Attention every Imperial command. This is Commander Cody. Implement executive order omega. I repeat, implement executive order omega," he said.

While everyone watched the scanner readouts in confusion, the armada of Imperial cruisers drifted right by the blockade of Coalition ships. Not a shot was fired. Due to the fact that the shields of the invaders had all fallen, for reasons unknown, the scanners of the Coalition cruisers were able to monitor ferocious firefights aboard each enemy craft. It seemed as if some kind of mutiny was in progress. They also began to receive reports indicating, incredibly, that the city shields were beginning to collapse as well. Something of implausible precedence seemed to be happening to the Imperial chain of command.

All at once, the ships of the Imperial armada began to explode. The command ship went first. The Corellian cruisers followed shortly thereafter. There were civilian reports that spoke of thousands of slain Storm Troopers. The witnesses were claiming that the soldiers turned their weapons first upon their officers and then upon themselves. Only minutes after Cody gave the mysterious command, the quite formidable remnant of the Imperial presence appeared to have totally destroyed itself. It was difficult for anyone to know whether to feel relief or horror. Despite most of them being genetically engineered, no less than millions of people had just died.

"Can somebody explain to me what just happened?" Han demanded. "Why did they all kill each other, and how in the world could they have been unaware of the destruction of the Kamino system?"

"I think I can answer that," Londle Eisley replied into the sudden silence. "I didn't say anything before because I was afraid of scaring the wits out of everyone."

"What are you talking about?" Leia breathlessly asked.

As Tysha nodded at him, Londle replied, "While we were orbiting around Kappelian in the _Forthright_, in case anyone unexpectedly dropped into the system, I had full access to its scanners. Sometimes subspace scanners can detect the approach of something as massive as an Imperial cruiser, so I was using the _Forthright_'s array. But of course, since nothing entered the system while we were there, I started to get bored. Out of curiosity, I aimed the array at the Kamino system. I guess I just wanted to see what the signature of a stellar explosion caused by the Star Killer looked like since I was once part of its crew."

When Londle paused, swallowing hard, Leia pressed, "It is okay; we need you to tell us what you saw."

Londle seemed to gather himself for the effort, and he was clearly being very careful about his choice of words as he cautiously continued, "I could not get any readings at all from that sector. Something seemed to be blocking the subspace scan. At length, I came to understand that it had to be the Clone Emperor. Apparently, as soon as he was aware of its destruction, he began to mask what had happened from any deep space scans. I'm guessing he must've been concerned about the effect it would have on his authority if his Storm Troopers realized that they would never be reinforced. I decided it would probably be best not to say anything; since I could not conceive of any individual possessing such power, and I was afraid of the effect it would have on the Coalition. I was also concerned that you, Leia, would be that much more afraid for your brother."

"Thank you, I appreciate the sentiment," Leia sincerely said.

"Okay, I hate to sound dense," said Han, as Chewbacca growled in agreement. "But I'm still not sure I really understand what just happened."

"Executive order omega must've been a failsafe for the Kaminoans," Londle replied. "It was probably only intended for use if the Empire turned against them; but some of the clones that were specifically manufactured for command must've been uploaded with it in case the Kaminoans weren't actually in a position to implement the order themselves at the critical time. When Darth Chrysalis died, his mysterious masking must have been removed. For the first time, Cody was able to see that his creators had been killed. And so, in light of the Empire's predictable collapse, he opted to execute his special order."

"It might have taken us decades, even generations, to remove every vestige of the Empire," Xan observed. "He did it all for us, and with a single command. I must say that I'm truly sorry he had to die. No one in the entire Coalition sacrificed more for our cause. We should make certain that he is honored along with all the rest of our fearless fallen."

"Absolutely," Leia readily agreed. She then bit her lip pensively before asking, "Isn't it strange that it was just such a clandestine executive order that turned the Clone Army against the Jedi, and now another has actually accomplished all our work for us?"

"I'd say it was quite a stroke of luck," Han replied. However, when all eyes suddenly turned to him, he concluded, "But in my experience, there's no such thing as luck."

"Since 3PO is still on the _Forthright_, I guess it's safe to ask why the Clone Emperor resorted to droids for his final defense," Leia said. "After all, he banned them from all but the most menial of responsibilities; and that's not all he did. I suppose it was in response to the way General Grievous survived his encounter with Obi-Wan and Anakin, but Darth Sidious even ordered the destruction of certain types of droids. And so, it seems strange to me that he would rely on them in such a way. I'm glad astrodroids were exempted. I'm not sure we could have done all this without the help of R9-Z5, here."

"When you consider how powerful he was," Londle hesitantly replied, "I have to think his foresight might have warned him about relying too exclusively on his Storm Troopers, even if he never suspected the Kaminoan failsafe. Droids are incapable of betrayal."

A picture appeared in the minds of everyone assembled there on the _Falcon_. It was an image of the Jedi in the act of informing the Senate about all these most momentous developments. Gwonameeth met their appreciative gazes with obvious amusement in its multifaceted eyes. Everyone, including R9-Z5, left the _Millennium_ _Falcon_ and made their way toward the Senate Chamber. Leia used her com-link to share the insights of Londle Eisley with Admiral Ackbar. In response, the Coalition cruisers and all the consulate craft quickly descended upon the Parliament Complex. Such a delightful day had never been seen since the collapse of the Old Republic.

Knowing that it would take some time for the cruisers to dock, the Jedi asked all the others to excuse them for a few moments. Understanding their need for privacy, the rest of the party exited the compartment. Leia and the jungle Jedi instructed the others in the matter of communicating with their mentors. Not surprisingly, they were all exceptionally adept students. In a matter of minutes they were each communing with the members of the Spectral Council.

Yoda was seated in the center of the line of phantasmal figures. On one side of him were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu. On the other were Anakin and Luke Skywalker. Everyone else allowed the Grand Master to be the first to speak.

"Done well you have, Youngling," he smilingly said.

Amused at his choice of words, Leia giggled girlishly.

"Impressive, most impressive," Anakin interjected. "You and Luke have completed the prophecy and restored balance to the Force."

"You've done very well, my sister; and I'm so happy for you," said Luke. "Although it might constitute the shortest tutelage in the history of the Jedi Order, I could not be more pleased with your progress; and so, in front of the Council and all those assembled here, I hereby confer upon you the rank of Jedi Knight. The Force will be with you always, and so will I."

"Thank you," Leia replied, whereupon the Jedi ended their audience and went out to join their friends. Together, they left the docks and made their way inside the structure.

Moderator Thurion was initially alarmed, and understandably so, when the Jedi and the leaders of Coalition all converged upon him. They hastily reassured him and told him they knew that his service to the Empire had merely been a matter of survival. He nearly burst into tears when they asked if he would introduce them to the assembled Senate. It was a tremendously emotional moment for everyone. The dream to which they had been clinging for so long was being actualized right before their awestruck eyes. Even the Jedi found it hard not to be overwhelmed. As the Moderator led the way, they did their best to brief him on all that had transpired.

Using the very platform upon which Darth Sidious had stood as he stripped freedom from the peoples of the Republic, the illustrious envoy arose. Seeing the torrent of tears, which were still flowing down the face of Moderator Thurion, the representatives were all apprehensive. It was necessary for the man to swallow several times before he was able to speak.

Clearing his throat, he finally exclaimed, "The Clone Emperor is dead! Long live the Republic!"

The expanse abruptly erupted with applause. Over two decades had elapsed since such thunderous approval had resonated within the Senate Chamber; and, even then, it had not been sustained for nearly as long. As Moderator Thurion patiently waited for the cheering to finally subside, he motioned for Admiral Ackbar and Princess Leia to rise up and stand on his right hand side. He also indicated that he wanted Prefect Otabutu and Chairman Chelingus to stand on his left. He gestured toward the Jedi, who dutifully rose and stood behind them. After the representatives had finally quieted themselves and the opportunity presented itself, he introduced Ackbar and Leia. Knowing that she was more familiar with the minutiae of the rebellion and also more accustomed to public speaking, the Admiral differed to Leia.

She introduced herself to the assembly as the Padawan Princess, adopted daughter of the late Senator Bale Organa, representative of the now nonexistent Alderaan. As one who could speak for the inhabitants of that sorrowfully obliterated world, she immediately got their full attention. Relying deeply on her personal experience, she explained to them everything that had happened since her father first became aware of the first Death Star. She clarified each of the critical characters as they entered into her story; but, instead of giving his entire background initially, she elucidated her relationship with Luke according to the manner in which she had become aware of it herself. The representatives were all enthralled.

As they each entered into the tale, she introduced Han, Chewbacca, Wedge, Lando, Admiral Ackbar, the Eisleys, Chairman Chelingus, Prefect Otabutu, and the Jedi.

When Leia introduced him and attempted to give a highly abbreviated account of the Prefect's rescue, he graciously insinuated his desire to address the assembly. Not really understanding his intention, she allowed him the opportunity. In front of nothing less than the full Galactic Congress, Prefect Otabutu gave a much more impressive report of what actually happened aboard the Corellian cruiser upon which he had been held hostage. It was easy to see how his rendition overawed the representatives. Stories of the prowess of the Jedi had become increasingly uncommon over the last two decades, so they were all quite encouraged to understand the aptitude of their newfound defenders.

When Leia had referred to learning that Luke was her brother, she carefully avoided going into much detail. Now that it was time to talk about the Clone Emperor's demise, it was necessary to also give the assembly the rest of that information. She explained how she had learned, all at once, about being Luke's twin sister and a child of Darth Vader. In so far as she actually understood it herself, she described Anakin's history all the way up to the point where he assassinated the original Emperor. The members of the Congress were clearly impressed to learn that he had sacrificed himself in order to save his son.

She told the representatives about the sorrowfully advantageous destruction of both Kamino and Geonosis and how Luke had flirted with becoming the thing they had sworn to destroy in order to eliminate every possible source of the Clone Emperor's power. And then, nearly losing her self-control in the process, she tearfully told them that her brother had ultimately been forced to sacrifice himself in order to eradicate both Darth Chrysalis and the Star Killer. In a later statement, which was made available to the assembly, she recounted the familial relationship that existed between Anakin's children and Palpatine. Its elucidation hardly seemed important at that moment. She could barely speak anyway.

During the ensuing pause, which allowed both her and no small number of senators to regain their composure, her thoughts went out to the devastated region that had once been the Hoth system. She knew, because of being informed by Admiral Ackbar, that C-3PO had been on the bridge of the _Forthright_ when news of the loss of Luke and R2-D2 was received. As implausibly emotional as the protocol droid could sometimes seem; it was enough to make her wonder if C-3PO had been truant in joining her entourage due to being distracted, and she was glad that their new astrodroid was in attendance. Ever had such automatons significantly assisted the Alliance. They deserved representation.

Leia didn't know it, but the Imperial platform itself had been expanded; otherwise, a much smaller assembly of ambassadors for the Alliance would have been required. She continued her narration until she had recounted the critical choice of Commander Cody. She offered them Londle's insight regarding executive order omega.

At the end of her account, she then recapped by reiterating that Darth Chrysalis and his entire Imperial machine were no more. She also emphasized that the renaissance of the Jedi Order had been almost simultaneous with the destruction of the Sith. She called upon the Congress to reinstate the Charter of the Galactic Republic, vowing that she and the others of her Order would defend its dearly bought democracy to the death. She was careful to mention that more Jedi might still respond to their summons. The Senators all stood and cheered as she turned to sit down in order to allow the Moderator to bring the motion to a vote. The consensus was unanimous. The Galactic Republic was reborn.

Even the news of Emperor Palpatine's death had not resulted in such celebration. It was, perhaps, the single most joyous occasion in the extensive history of the interstellar civilization. It was as if the Clone Emperor's last order had actually been to summon the senators to the biggest gala in the galaxy, and many old differences were forgiven during the festivities. The spirit of cooperation, absent even after the events at Endor, had been restored. New affiliations were forged and many outstanding debts were dismissed with a simple handshake – or some other more alien appendage.

As if all this was not nearly enough, with all of their associates looking on, Han took the opportunity to propose to Leia. Of course, she courteously consented. Leaning upon her husband, Tysha cried. But Chewbacca cried the loudest. Once the Eisleys had their turn, everyone else hugged the happy couple. Wedge and Lando could barely speak.

As what had been the Imperial platform settled back into its aperture, Leia and Han suddenly found themselves the focus of all the attention from both Chairman Chelingus and Prefect Otabutu. The dignitaries were both boisterously insisting that the ceremony should be held on one world and the honeymoon on the other, and it was up to Han and Leia to decide which one to honor in which way. Having observed the amenities of each, the other participants in the party were quick to make recommendations. Leia reminded them, as politely as possible, that democracy was for senators. Everyone apologetically admitted that they were simply caught up in the moment, saying that they would happily support whatever decision was ultimately made.

As they were leaving the Chancellor's Chamber, the group was joined by many of the officers from the bridge crew of the _Forthright_. Khyzo, Jarma, Uti, and Buja were all there; and they were overjoyed to learn of the happy couple's engagement. C-3PO had successfully followed them. Leia could see the protocol droid working its way through the crowd. She tried to think of something comforting to say to her longtime companion, but nothing seemed to come to mind. Its grief, if the word can even be properly applied, was of a far different nature than hers. And hers was still too close at hand. As she watched however she saw something that encouraged her.

Pausing at the outskirts of the assembly, the robot took notice of the astrodroid that was hovering next to the Eisleys. Leia saw something that looked incredibly like curiosity in its engineered eyes. She hoped that her protocol droid had perhaps just found another friend. Cautiously avoiding the conversing creatures all around it, the hovering astrodroid carefully closed the distance. Soon, the two robots were situated right before each other.

"Oh, hello," said C-3PO. "I don't believe we have been introduced."

The astrodroid emitted the series of sounds that were characteristic for its kind.

"R9-Z5, a pleasure to meet you!" the protocol droid animatedly responded. "I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations."


End file.
